The Web Of The Spider
by little miss dracula
Summary: AU.Rose is thinking of leaving the Doctor because she cant stop thinking about Jack and thinks Mickey would be the next best thing but when the Doctor takes her to barbados can they both find the love they crave. rosejack doctorOC T for later chapters
1. Welcome to Barbados

As Rose and himself stepped out of the TARDIS he wondered if she would always travel with him or whether she would tire of the hectic, rather lonely life that they led. Rose Tyler. His companion for the better part of two years. The reason for his thoughts was that recently, she'd been distant. Less excited by the thought of the stars and thinking about her Mother, and Mickey the idiot far to often. 

On their last visit back 'home' Rose had nearly stayed. The Doctor could quite clearly remember the conversation he had 'overheard' (coughevesdroppedoncough) between Mickey and Rose.  
"Please stay Rose, please. You cant travel with him forever." Mickey had begged.  
"I know that. It's impossible for one thing"  
"Then stay Rose, please." "I suppose I could. I do miss you guys, especially one thing with you Mickey. But how could I ever turn my back on it after seeing what I have"  
"Promise me something Rose"  
"What"  
"Promise me you'll come home one day"  
"One day Mickey I promise"  
As the Doctor recalled the conversation he became aware of Rose standing next to him, admiring the breathtaking scenery. They stood on top of a cliff, the wild, rolling sea in front of them. Of course owing to the fact they where now on Barbados ( the planet, not the place ), the sea was bright silver and looked rather like the substance made when adding aluminium powder to copper sulphate, which creates a rather thick gloopy mixture. About two miles behind them, stood a small village, with rather basic housing, but friendly if odd, inhabitants. It had a hard to pronounce name that roughly translated into English as "Town Of The Vampyre"  
"Come on, are we going or not?" Rose joked pulling her pink jumper tighter around her. "And more to the point, where are we going?" she added. "Over there," The Doctor pointed out an obviously old partly tumbledown castle, just to the right of the village. "I got you an early Christmas present," he grinned blushing slightly.  
"You didn't have to did that!" Rose joked as she grabbed the Doctors arm, and started off towards the castle, eager to see the surprise.

When they had almost reached the castle the Doctor broke the silence in which they had walked by suddenly saying,  
"When we get there you shall be escorted to your private chamber. There will be a box on the bed. You shall need to open it"  
"What's in the box?" Rose inquired, curious but the Doctor, enigmatic as ever wouldn't say another word on the subject.

When they arrived at the castle two servants ushered them through the door, and just as the Doctor had said, escorted them to their private chambers. Rose was amazed at the place. It looked exactly like it had stepped out of the Victorian era, the servants with it. Then again she thought smiling to herself and thinking of the Doctor it probably has. As she was shown into her bedchamber she noticed that, sure enough, there was a large flatish box on the four-poster bed. She went over to it and found a note on top;  
Dearest Rose (it read,  
Just a little something to say 'Happy Christmas'. Perhaps you could wear it and meet me in the main hall for dinner in say, half an hour.  
Yours always The Doctor


	2. dinner, dresses snow and bat things

She set the note to one side and opened the box, gasping a little as she saw the contents. Inside was an absolutely gorgeous, obviously Victorian dress. It was a dark rose red. Was strapless, ever so slightly low cut and reached the floor even if she put her black heels on with it. Dark makeup and her hair up in a bun, with a few pieces loose of course, and black fishnet gloves cut off at the fingers, and she was ready. She was slightly late but ready, and besides the Doctor had expected nothing less.

As she walked down to meet him, the Doctor did a rather comic double take. She looked perfectly stunning. Rose also did a double take, as the Doctor had change out of his usual, suit and long coat outfit into a rather smart dinner jacket. His hair however, was still a total mess. She laughed when he bowed to her and kissed her hand. "I didn't know their was a gentleman under that coat," she laughed He grinned and replied "I didn't know there was a princess under that chav," he took her arm and gently pulled her in the direction of the dining hall, which was through a door on the left.  
"Oh my god." Rose said under her breath as she entered the room. A long mahogany dining table that would seat fifty with room to spare stood proudly in the middle of the room, groaning under the weight of more food that the Doctor and Rose could ever eat. Candles gave the room a gorgeously romantic, twilight atmosphere and servants stood around waiting to pull out seats, pour out wine and serve the food. So, the Doctor and Rose sat down and ate, sometimes talking, sometimes just enjoying a companionable silence. It was during one of these silences that Rose began to doubt whether she would keep her promise to Mickey, or if she would stay with the Doctor always. Although in her heart she knew she would leave him soon. True, she loved the danger and excitement of the life they led, and she enjoyed the Doctor's company, but her heart had been broken once, while with the Doctor, when they had left a certain Captain Jack Harkness alone, after she brought him back to life. And to add to that she found herself missing her Mum, missing Mickey, and general domestic life.

When they had eaten their fill, they retired to the drawing room of the old castle which, just like Rose's bed chamber, was absolutely stunning. Rose sat on a couch in front of a huge fire, the only source of light in the room, while the Doctor leant against the fireplace, wine glass in hand. The two talked, exchanged light chat, about things neither cared about but felt obliged to talk about- the weather, the scenery, the castle in general. Rose kept thanking him for the dress, tanks which he kept insisting where "not needed"

That was, of course, until Rose noticed the snow, which was naturally, silver. "Oh Doctor look!" she cried running for the window "You stupid humans, getting all excited over snow." the Doctor said smiling.  
"Aw please, Doctor"  
"Come on then. But in heavens name put on a coat, you'll freeze to death"  
"You sound just like my Mother. But alright," she laughed seeing the Doctors face after comparing him with her Mum.  
"God forbid I, Lord of Time should turn into Jackie Tyler"  
Rose found a black beaded shawl and flung it on. The Doctor put on his trademark long black coat and took her arm as they stepped outside and headed towards the village, both thinking of getting to a pub. Rose thinking white wine , the Doctor thinking mulled honey with rose. It was a local delicacy that he was quite fond of. They where just about to enter the local pub when they heard a scream which caused them both to spin round simultaneously. Another scream was followed by manic shouting of ;  
"The Bat Ones, The Bat Ones." and some obscenities. A villager with wild green hair and purple skin ( I did say they were odd) ran by, closely followed by a large bat like creature.  
"What the…" Rose screamed "Just RUN" the Doctor yelled grabbing onto her arm and hauling her along the road. The place descended into chaos. People where running everywhere, screaming all the while, and those dammed quick bat-things swooping all over the place. Large creatures, at a first glance anyone would simply think them huge bats, but on a closer look would realise that they where something much scarier even than that. Their wings where twice the length of their pink-brown, slightly slimy looking bodies, their faces, although bat like in quality, had something else, something the Doctor just couldn't put his finger on. Their skin was stretched taught over their skulls, and their enormous ears and large piercing green eyes looked far too big for their head. Dragging her into a doorway, the Doctor immediately regretted it after finding that the doorway was far too small for them, consequently squashing the both together. Very close together.

Rose looked on in horror as the creatures devoured the villagers. The Doctor was rummaging in his pockets when she yelled at him to "DO SOMETHING"  
"Like what?" he yelled back, but simply stepped out of, the far to small doorway and grabbed a frightened villager. "What are they?" he shouted, probably adding to her terror "I don't know, I don't know." She whispered brushing her black hair out of her pure black eyes. He let her go and she practically flew off down the street. Around fifteen seconds later, one of the bat-things flew at the Doctor who promptly pulled out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the thing, which let out a high pitched squeal, and reeled round and flew backwards, joined quickly by the other things. The Doctor was very quickly surrounded by all the villagers offering drinks and biscuits (at least that's what the Doctor thought they where). Except for Rose. She stood in the little doorway, thinking. How can I ever leave?  
You cant stay with him forever,  
But he's fantastic Yes, but he has to carry on, you can't Rose, you can't have immortality, remember Mickey But I don't love Mickey.  
You love Jack. But he's not here. He would have died, more than likely, and isn't Mickey, well the next best thing?  
Rose stopped her inner-argument when she saw the Doctor come back to find her.  
"Come on" he laughed "They've offered free drinks all night." he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the pub. 


	3. A strangely beautiful girl

After around two hours of drinking, drinking games and more drinking, the Doctor and Rose headed back along the seemingly deserted street, the cold air hitting them like a bucket of ice, and sobering them up quite nicely.  
"Doctor, what was that"  
"What was what"  
"Flapping. I heard flapping. Oh God. Its them bat things again, look against the moon"  
"Ok, just take my hand." Rose did so and the two backed along the street, away from the hovering creature, until the Doctor backed into something"  
"Hey! Watch what you're knocking into, if you don't mind!" came a voice from behind them. The Doctor and Rose both span around.

Rose saw a girl, around her age, with long, dark brown, almost black hair, green eyes, wearing an impossibly tight pair of black jeans that clung to her impossibly thin legs like a second skin and a black and red low-cut corset top. Around her waist was an assortment of guns, swords and other, less identifiable weapons.

The Doctor saw the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Around Rose's age, he'd guess, her mesmerizing eyes, outlined in black eyeliner, black mascara and highlighted with a sweep of black eye shadow. Her flawless skin was white as white in contrast to her red, full lips. It was as though almost all the blood from her face had gone to her lips. Her long glossy almost black hair was in gentle waves and fell to her shoulders. He looked at her outfit, and a wave of desire went through him.  
"You done looking? Come on you lot, you aren't safe out here. Follow me." She promptly turned around and started to walk off. A shout from Rose made her turn back.  
"Hey! Who are you"  
"Forgive me, my name is Arantéle. I shall introduced myself properly later. Quickly you aren't safe"  
Rose turned to the Doctor, who shrugged and began to follow the strange, beautiful girl.  
They walked in silence for about 5 minutes 3 seconds (according to the Doctor) when Arantéle stopped.  
"Where are we?" inquired Rose "The second safest place in the whole universe, my home." replied Arantéle her key in the lock. They stepped inside and went straight through a door on the left which opened out into a large sitting-room decorated in red, white and gold with a roaring fire.  
"Drink?" Arantéle offered politely "I have Earth drinks if you wish Miss"  
"Tyler. Rose Tyler"  
"Miss Tyler. Wait"  
"What"  
"Sssh." She paused for a moment "You have two heartbeats sir"  
"Yeah," the Doctor grinned at Arantéle nervously.  
"May I inquire as to your name sir?" Arantéle asked.  
"The Doctor"  
"Well Doctor, first may I thank you for ridding the village of the… the things, earlier this evening"  
"No problem. What where they anyway, I didn't recognise them. Some Vampire clan?" he asked, secretly scolding himself for noticing the way her eyes light up when she smiles.  
"No Monsieur! No they're not Vampires. Vampires would not act so. Unless of course they where Toreadoar, which they cannot be as the entire Toreadoar clan is currently stuck on Venus. I am afraid I do not know what they are"  
"Sorry to interrupt the conference session but you did promise to introduce yourself properly Arantéle"  
"Oh! So I did. Forgive me Miss Tyler. My name is Arantéle Malkavain. A direct descendant of Gabriel Malkavain himself." When Rose continued to look puzzled Arantéle turned to the Doctor, who was looking slightly amazed "I presume, sir you know what I am talking about"  
"Yes, yes of course," he smiled at the beautiful vampire girl. For some reason he did not know (or wouldn't admit to) his stomach did a back flip when she smiled back. Stop it he warned himself. "Doctor, what are you on about"  
"Rose, Gabriel Malkavain, was a great friend to me, I was sorry to hear of his death, may I ask how you where related"  
"He was my great-great-great grandfather. We where very close. It was him and I that cleared the stories of Dracula and Vampires being evil"  
"My condolences. He was a great man." "Can I just ask, what the bloody hell is a bloody Malkavain"  
"Miss Tyler," Arantéle turned to her "Malkavain is a ancient name, it holds weight with many and commands respect from all. We are an ancient race or Vampires, and all Malkavain are blessed with some form of gift; either the ability to morph; a great ability to shadow-walk; the power of levitation; some have second sight; some witchcraft; others even have a gift for the reading of tarots or palms; some the ability to break into someone's mind, their thoughts and feelings; many things that I could list but will not. For this reason we are often sought out for advice and clairvoyance. However, the drawback is, that, in fact, most of us are either partially, or completely insane"  
"Oh"  
"Exactly. Now Doctor, monsieur why have you come to Barbados? It isn't a holiday choice with many, the oddness of the inhabitants secures that"  
"I brought Rose, for Christmas"  
" Yea, not to be rude but how many weapons do you need exactly"  
"Well, I have my gun, gun with silver bullets, my spare gun, sonic gun, samurai sword, phials of different poisons and of course the sword my great-great-great grandfather gave to me the night he died." She unsheathed a long, pure black sword with a silver handle. "May I look?" asked the Doctor. As she handed him the sword her hand brushed against his God don't even think about it thought the Doctor Since when did he look so cute? she thought 


	4. meanings morphing and first signs of luv

"Wow, I haven't seen a sword like this since, since I went back to 1642. Not a bad year, rubbish summer though." he got out his sonic screwdriver and checked the sword with it. " Aha! Here it is, written in Sanskrit - Whosoever wields this sword, and wields her well, shall do unto their enemies as they deserve.- a very good quality sword Arantéle. Very good. Sanskrian I presume"  
"Of course"  
"What does your name mean?" Rose interrupted "Oh, its an old French word, out of use now, meaning the Web of the Spider. Doctor where are you from. I feel I know you from somewhere"  
"I'm from Gallifrey." The expression on Arantéle's face was one of shock "But… all the Gallifreians are dead. The time war. I watched them all die"  
"Except me. I survived. Everyone else died"  
" …. Time Lord"  
"Yes"  
"Forgive me, Doctor," She stepped back with a pained expression and then suddenly she was no longer wearing the outfit, already described, and was now in a long black velvet dress with tiny straps, it was low cut a fitted, showing her curvaceous figure to perfection. The Doctor found both his hearts skipping a beat. "May I offer my condolences, and express my deepest sympathy." She sank in a low curtsy "Makes everything a bit formal doesn't she?" Rose whispered under her breath to the Doctor, her look one of awe after seeing Arantéle's sudden transformation which suddenly changed to one of shock when she saw the Doctor made a low bow.  
"Thank you for your sympathy, Miss Arantéle and may I compliment you on the quickness of your morph, I have seen older people take much longer to morph and the end result is not half as accurate"  
"Thank you Monsieur"  
"What d'you mean morph?" Rose asked, somewhat annoyed at the fact she knew so little, but very pleased that the Doctor, her Doctor, may soon find himself very much in love with someone who may requite him. "I can change my appearance at will, Miss Tyler. Give me anything at all to change into"  
"Umm.. I dunno, what like anything"  
" Anything at all"  
"Madame de Pompadour." interrupted the Doctor. She wriggled a little and was the spitting image of said Madame De Pompadour.  
"Very good, like a mirror image of her," the Doctor examined Arantéle/ Madame de Pompadour.  
"Excuse the Doctor, Arantéle, he's got a thing for Madame de Pompadour"  
"I most certainly do not. I think she's….. She's pretty, good bone structure and all that"  
Arantéle wriggled a little more and was like before, except in a black dress with a purple inset in the bodice with black ribbon to tie it up. Her hair was straight and halfway down her back. The Doctor noticed that she looked fantastic and grinned to himself, a grin which widened when he noticed her smiling at him.  
Don't even think about it. he thought OMG he's smiling at me!  
Rose noticed with a smile that since the Doctors comment on bone structure, Arantéle's cheekbones where surprisingly similar to Madame de Pompadours. 


	5. may I introduce Captain Jack Harkness

Flapping against the window brought them back to their senses, got a scream from Rose and a manic grin from both the Doctor and Arantéle, hers showing off her rather pointy and sharp canine teeth, a fact the Doctor noticed then scolded himself for noticing "What are they Doctor?" When he didn't answer she turned to Arantéle. "Do you know"  
""I am afraid not. I only arrived back here tonight. I have been travelling for two months. Before I left nothing of the sort was happening.  
"Travelling alone?" inquired Rose "No, no with my companion/ roommate, Captain Jack Harkness who it would seen is still at the pub, despite promising to be back at 11"  
"Jack Harkness?" Rose gasped, her heart doing a back flip.  
"Yes. Are you acquainted with him"  
"You could say that." Rose smiled at the memory of the first day she met Jack, when he saved her, because she was hanging from a zeppelin in the middle of a German air raid in the second world war, wearing a England t-shirt. "So when you say companion, just how disappointed should several hundred men be"  
"You flatter me, Rose, no me and Jack are just very good friends. He is still in love with a girl he met a long time ago." Rose's heart skipped a beat as she tried not to hope. Right on cue they heard the front door slam "Honey, I'm home," came a laughing voice.  
"In the sitting room darling. We have guests." Arantéle shouted back, laughing at the obvious joke between the two of them. The lounge door opened with a bang, Jack stood there with a manic grin on his face. The smile change to one of shock when he saw Rose. Smiling slightly Arantéle introduced them all;  
"Jack, Rose Tyler, Rose Captain Jack Harkness, Jack, the Doctor, Doctor,Jack"  
"Rose Tyler." Jack whispered, then practically bounced over the room and picked her up in a bone crushing hug. 


	6. librarys Zafarax and a little crying

The night passed mainly in Arantéle's absolutely huge library, Jack and Rose sitting on an ancient chaise lounge catching up, while the Doctor and Arantéle studied vast amounts of books, trying to figure out what the bat-things were. They searched for at least two hours before Arantéle cried "Here! Here, Doctor, I think this is something"  
"Where?" The Doctor ran over to Arantéle who was standing on a table leaning over a large, old black book, without a title on the front cover, at least not one visible to human eyes.  
"Here. Something, it describes almost exactly those things"  
"The Doctor bent over the book, his mind totally on the creatures. Or so he said. Defiantly not on Arantéle. Of course he wasn't thinking about her. "They couldn't be, could they"  
"Be what?" Rose asked from the other side of the room, where she was sitting on Jack's knee, for some reason.  
"Zafarax." The Doctors face was totally set, and serious. "Say what?" Rose asked bemused.  
"Zafarax, they're from ages ago, so long ago, I can hardly remember the last time I met them. From the beginning of the Dark Times. Before the Earth was even dust"  
"You've met them before?" inquired Arantéle, looking curious, but with an underlying sadness only Jack and Rose noticed "Oh yes. They are exactly the same as when I saw them last. I cant believe I didn't recognise them"  
"Is it bad, that it's them?" Rose asked, a little frightened having never seen the Doctor look so worried. He was running his hands through his already messed up hair and was pacing around the room, presumably trying to think.  
"Bad? Its about the worst it could possibly be. Here listen to this," He started to read aloud from the book, taking it from in front of an incredibly scared and excited looking Arantéle " 'The Zafarax, though long believed to be dead, are still a tale used to frighten young children. A deadly, vicious race, they will inhabit a planet for years without anyone knowing that they are there, then, before anyone knows about it, will attack again and again, until they either devour the entire planet or turn them into other Zafarax. Occasionally Zafarax will take some hostages, and will only give them back for large amounts of money. The use of this money is, so far unknown. Ruthless and unmerciful, at the time of writing, their only goal is to take the universe and control all they can,' " Arantéle's face had turned even whiter and she was staring at the floor, obviously trying not to cry. Rose ran over to her and put her arm around her.  
"What's the matter? Arantéle? You can tell me"  
" The Zafarax. I've met them before. I remember now. I didn't recognise the name at first but I knew I recognised them from somewhere." The Doctor looked up, alarmed at the tone of her voice which was one of extreme sadness mixed with intense anger and hatred.  
"Where have you met them?" Rose asked, curious to know what had made Arantéle so upset so that she may comfort her. She hated seeing people upset when she had no idea why.  
" I last met the Zafarax, in your years, around two years ago when, for reasons I cannot speak about right now, I travelled back to the Dark Times. While I was there the Zafarax, they… attacked the place I was staying and they, they killed Gabriel Malkavain, my great-great-great grandfather, the greatest vampire that ever lived, and my closest friend," She broke down in tears, Jack and Rose trying to comfort her, Rose especially, displaying her talent for empathy, while the Doctor looked on, shocked.  
Zafarax killed Gabriel Malkavain??? thought the Doctor I cant believe she still looks beautiful when she's crying.  
I cant believe I just thought that Stop staring at her and help Rose and Jack Stop staring NOW!  
The Doctor averted his eyes and turned his face back to the book. When he dared look round again, when the crying had quietened down to muffled sobs, Rose, Jack and Arantéle where sitting on a chaise lounge that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, Rose talking quietly to Arantéle, Jack helping himself to strawberries, a bowl of which had also appeared from nowhere. 


	7. two admissions of love

Who knows how long they stood/sat in this manner, the Doctor standing in front of the table watching Jack eat strawberries, of which there seemed to be a never-ending supply of, and Rose and Arantéle walk about the room, after sitting for a while in the manner afore mentioned. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours, it could have even been days, but all the while the Doctor stood and thought.  
It must be some form of witchcraft. He concluded She must have got the art of witchcraft for her gift, and is now tormenting me by making me believe that I love her. That's all it is. Simple witchcraft. So I must ignore it, or I'll get all distracted by it and probably end up getting everyone killed and that will just be pointless, but if Rose leaves… and I have noone left, she could come with me. Vampires do have less chance of dying than humans I suppose. His thoughts where stopped when he realised Jack was standing next to him watching him think with an amused expression on his face.  
"Quite a catch isn't she?" he said grinning from ear to ear ant the look on the Doctors face "Don't know what your talking about." the doctor turned away from Jack, not before Jack saw the blush creeping onto the Doctors face. Jack walked round so the Doctor was facing him. He leant close to him and whispered "You do. You just told me by the tone of your voice"  
"Did not"  
"Did, and don't argue," he added when he saw the Doctor open his mouth to argue. "I wont say anything. I promise"  
"Thanks." the Doctor whispered looking at Arantéle as she walked by arm in arm with Rose.  
"So how long have you been travelling with the Doctor?" she inquired as they walked around the huge bookshelves stocked with more books that even a avid reader like herself could read. She could always find what she wanted. All she had to do was walk up to the shelf and think of whatever book she wanted and it would appear. Like the Doctors TARDIS, Arantéle's library was sensitive to her needs, besides, the Doctor was right Arantéle had inherited the gift of witchcraft, as well as the gift for breaking into another's thoughts, a power which she hardly used unless it was totally appropriate. "About two years. Almost"  
"So… you and him are… you know… together"  
"Me and the Doctor?" No… God no. I mean he's sweet, and funny, and defiantly intelligent, which are all good points, and I suppose he is quite good looking. But no, 900 year old aliens just don't do it for me I'm afraid"  
"You say this like you already like someone. Is there someone? Someone you left at home perhaps? Or had to leave behind"  
"How do you know?" Rose asked looking amazed at Arantéle's powers of deduction.  
"Just a guess. So I presume that this lucky young man is no other than our very own Captain Jack Harkness"  
"Well… yes I suppose"  
"I thought as much"  
"But what about you? Isn't there anyone that you love?" Rose asked Arantéle who thought for a moment, there had been many people, but none who she had loved, the closest she had got to love was a very strong lust. Her thoughts turned to the Doctor and his manic grin, his messed up hair and her stomach did a back flip.  
"I don't know. There hasn't really been anyone that even comes close to love"  
"He's a fine man, alien, whatever, Arantéle"  
"What are you talking about"  
"The Doctor of course"  
"What about him"  
"Don't pretend Arantéle. Come on you can tell me. I told you about Jack"  
"Very well, little inquisitive human," Arantéle laughed "Yes I do find the Doctor, ahem, attractive, I suppose but I have hardly had chance to get to know him, I only met him a few short hours ago"  
"I know, but do you think you could love him?" Arantéle checked to make sure no one was listening before answering Rose;  
"Yes, I suppose I could!". 


	8. laughing singing and alot of suggestions

When the two walked back to the main part of the library, where the Doctor and Jack where sitting on the chaise lounge waiting for the two girls, they both burst into hysterical fits of laughter.  
"What? What's so funny?" The Doctor asked looking paranoid.  
The girls laughed even more, bending over almost double and nearly crying. "Yeah what is funny?" Jack looked paranoid as well.  
Arantéle took one look at Jack and burst into another hysterical fit of laughter. After about twenty minutes continuing in this fashion, the girls laughter subsided into quiet giggles and eventually into nothing. Jack and the Doctor had bemused looks on there faces and couldn't for the life of the figure out what Rose and Arantéle had been laughing at. Even Jack who had been good friends with Arantéle since he was fifteen, and had travelled with her these two months just gone, had no idea what she was laughing about. In fact, it was such a rarity that she laughed so hysterically, usually she would just giggle like a school girl, or more often than not, retain her formal, cold exterior. In fact, Jack thought the last time I saw her laugh like that was when she was when we where in Transylvania with her sister and they where hanging off the side of a building and I was telling them to get down. The Doctor's mind was occupied with different thoughts,  
she has the most amazing laugh. Stop thinking about her like that. But look at the way her eyes light up when she smiles and when she laughs. He ran a hand through his messed-up hair and tried to stop his thoughts. He shouldn't be thinking about anyone like that. He was the last of the bloody time lords for fucks sake. Destined to live alone while everyone and everything dies and all that shit. Though he couldn't stop himself from thinking about the tiny little detail that vampires don't grow old. They have to be killed to die. And she was pretty, and very smart, and seemed to have a agreeable temperament, and seemed excited by the thought of danger more than Rose, her manic grin when the Zarfarax had been close to the window had not escaped unnoticed. Jack stood and watched the Doctor think, and thought that, if he was any judge the Doctor was well on his way to falling in love. 

Later, after lots more strawberries and lots of champagne, and a lot of persuasion, Jack Harkness was singing an old Elton John song, and it didn't go unnoticed by Arantéle that while he sang the words "How wonderful life is, now you're in the world." his eyes where directly fixed on a particular Rose Tyler. Once the song had finished Jack immediately begged Arantéle to sing.  
"No, I couldn't possibly. I don't want to deafen everyone with my warbling." Jack kept bugging her, as did Rose while the Doctor sat with his messed up hair and smiled. Eventually Arantéle agreed, but only after bribes of champagne, dinner for two with Jack the next day and as he said "then maybe we could… catch a late night movie…or just come back here and get a coffee…" "Very well, Jack, darling, but I want that dinner. And yea, we'll defiantly just sit and have a coffee," she said in reply to Jack's rather suggestive proposition with more than a hint of suggestion in her own voice.  
She stood up, and her outfit changed to a long black skirt that was made out of velvet from the top to about three quarters of the way up her thigh where the material became flowy and transparent. Of course underneath that bit was a black slip, so she didn't reveal too much but, the Doctor found himself noticing the amount of leg you could see where the slip was shaped and wishing that the stupid slip wasn't there. She had a black and purple long sleeved top whose arms was made out of the same material as the bottom part of the skirt and in themselves was rather long. "I'm going to sing a song called Teardrops On My Guitar by Taylor Swift." The Doctor had never heard of the song before but found himself listening to the lyrics carefully. Rose knew Arantéle had picked that song for a reason; Jack just turned on the stereo, which of course, ever sensitive to Arantéle's needs started playing the music to Teardrops On My Guitar, and sat back to listen to the familiar sound of Arantéle's velvety voice;  
"…She better hold him tight,  
Give him all her love Look in those beautiful eyes and know shes lucky coz He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar The only thing that keeps my wishing on a wishing star He's the song in the car I keep singing Don't know why I do…." When the song had finished both Rose and the Doctor sat in silence for a moment that for Arantéle felt like an eternity. Then the former ran over to the vampire girl and threw her arms around her exclaiming that there had to be "something you can't do!" to which Jack replied a very suggestive and obviously informed "oh no, Arantéle is good at everything aren't you"  
"Well, you would know Jack!" 


	9. Blue, Ivory and Jack almost serious

The Doctor sat in dumbstruck amazement for at least three minutes before realising he was staring at Arantéle and forced himself to look away. Jack plonked himself down next to him and said with a manic grin on his face "Anything you want?" in a very suggestive tone.  
"No." the Doctor replied firmly, pleading with his eyes for Jack to shut up "Are you sure"  
"I have no idea what you're on about"  
"I just asked if you wanted any champagne, or some strawberries?" he said doing his best to look innocent holding out a bowl of strawberries and a glass of champagne "Course. Do you always have strawberries in this house?" the Doctor asked looking rather curious as to why they had this many strawberries. Arantéle laughed. "Well, Jack loves strawberries, don't you Jack? And melted chocolate. We both adore melted chocolate, do we not Jack honey"  
"Yea, melted chocolate goes well with so many things, don't you agree Doctor?" the Doctor simply coughed and tried to hide his blush, while Rose laughed. "You two must get up to a lot of kinky stuff, the way you go on"  
"Oh don't worry Rose, we do. You can join in if you want." Jack smiled what he called his 'lady-killer' smile while Rose blushed lightly and replied "Well, I'm sure you wouldn't mind, Jack, but maybe Arantéle would"  
"Oh don't worry about her, she bats for both teams anyway"  
"They didn't need to know that just yet Jack, but hey I'm up for it," Arantéle laughed "Horny little bitch she's up for anything"  
"You're one to talk"  
"What are you suggesting"  
"Nothing, what did you think I was suggesting?" The two continued on in this fashion for quite a while, until the Doctor coughed and said "Well, Rose and I better be off, it's gone three in the morning and humans do need their sleep." at this Arantéle slapped one hand over her mouth. "Oh god, so it is! But do you really want to walk all that way, its got to be about three miles. I mean, you could stay here. There's too many spare rooms to count." she replied for once no suggestion in her tone whatsoever, though both her and the Doctor noticed that Jack was smiling at Rose rather suggestively. Arantéle just smiled and ignored it. The Doctor just looked confused, inwardly shook his head and turned to Rose.  
"What do you think Rose? We could walk back to the castle, or stay here"  
"Stay here, definitely. As long as you two are sure"  
"Yea, course, come on. Jack show the Doctor to a room-perhaps in the west wing? I'll take Rose to the Ivory Room"  
"Okay, Doctor, follow me"  
"Rose, this way." Jack and Arantéle led the Doctor and Rose to the hallway, then Jack led the Doctor up one flight of stairs, while Arantéle led Rose up another.

Rose and Arantéle walked up three flights of stairs, and to the end of a long corridor with hardly any doors. "This will be your room, Miss Tyler." Arantéle pushed open the very last door to reveal a stunning white room, with a huge king-size double four-poster bed, with black posts and a white duvet. A white window seat provided the perfect place to sit and stare at the gorgeous view of the village and the castle in the distance. The walls where white as was the thick, soft carpet, that Rose felt she could just sink into. A door led into an en-suite bathroom, also decorated in white. "Thanks Arantéle this is gorgeous"  
"No problem, I thought you'd like it. Oh gosh! You'll need clean clothing wont you"  
"Yeah probably"  
"OK…" Arantéle walked over to the white wardrobe that stood in one corner of the room. She closed her eyes for a moment, the opened one and looked at Rose "What size are you?" Rose told her and Arantéle closed her eyes once more. She stood there for about twenty seconds in total before opening her eyes and stepping back. "I hope you'll find them ok." She grinned nervously.  
"Find what ok?" Rose inquired, before realizing that Arantéle must have the gift of witchcraft. "oh… right… thanks"  
"No problem. If you want anything else just shout. I'm just down the hall. Oh and we usually have breakfast about nine-ish. Just wander down to the kitchen/dining room about that time. Its quite easy to find, straight down the stairway as though going back to the sitting room, but instead of turning in there go straight down the hall until the very end. Its just there"  
"OK cheers again, for everything," Rose replied as Arantéle walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her with what seemed a unnaturally loud bang. Rose walked towards the wardrobe, opened it to see masses of gorgeous clothing. Picking out a rather comfy looking pair of pyjamas she got changed, fell onto the bed, and was instantly asleep.

Jack also led the Doctor up three flights of stairs, along another corridor, though heading in the other direction, to the very end room. This room, however was not decorated in white. A four-poster bed stood in the middle, as in Rose's room, but had mahogany posts, blue curtains and a blue duvet. The carpet was a dark blue with some gold pattern on that the Doctor couldn't see because of the low lighting. A door led into a blue and mahogany bathroom, and a mahogany wardrobe stood in one corner. "God, you'll need clothes and stuff wont you?" Jack realised "Well… yea I suppose"  
"I'll get Arantéle to sort something out. Is the room ok"  
"Yea its great. Jack"  
"Yes Doctor." Jack mocked the Doctors serious tone "You know Arantéle"  
"Yes… I know her very well, very well indeed. Inside out, one could say"  
"Yes well, without the kinkiness, what do you think of her"  
"How do you mean, what do I think of her as; a person? ; a partner; a companion; as a what"  
"As a person"  
"Well, I've been good friends with her, for years, since I was fifteen, so that says something for her surely? I think she's sweet, funny, definitely intelligent, an excellent singer, excellent at other things you don't want to know about, or maybe you do but I'm afraid I cant say because, well, because, I just can't be bothered and if I do, I'll get a smack from Arantéle"  
"OK"  
"Why do you want to know"  
"No reason"  
"Aw you love her"  
" I do not. I hardly know the woman. Vampire. Whatever"  
"Yea, but you love what you do know. I put it to you, Doctor, that you, are falling in love"  
"I most certainly am not"  
"Well, your on your way to being in love. Breakfast is at nine, in the kitchen. See you then, oh and by the way, she even looks hot that early in the morning. And earlier. Even when her hairs a mess… from doing whatever…" at this the Doctor gave Jack a light smack on the arm and said;  
"I am not in love. I am not falling in love. With anybody." When Jack looked disbelieving at him, he just pointed to the door and added "I'll see you at nine." 


	10. breakfast boredom and a first kiss

The Doctor awoke, at exactly nine the next morning, the smell of bacon wafting up from downstairs despite being three floors up. He could hear Jack moving about in the next room and decided that now would be a good time to get up. He had Zafarax to read up on. And maybe get some of that bacon.

Rose was awoken from her dreamless sleep, by the rather delicious smell of bacon. Glancing around sleepily, she took in her surroundings and tried to remember the rather sleep-fogged haze that was last night. The pub, drinking, Arantéle. Ah yes Arantéle. She smiled as she remember the way the Doctor, her Doctor's eyes had followed them around the library last night and how much he was concentrating on the lyrics when she sang last night. Finally he might find someone that he could live his life with. Her thoughts then turned to Jack. Maybe she'd found the person she could live the rest of her life with. He was human as well which for her was an added bonus. The fact the Doctor couldn't die was great when she thought of all the times they'd been in life-threatening situations, but the fact he had to grow old and watch everyone he loved die and rot, was not something she wanted to think about. Especially not this early in the morning. She glanced at the clock on the wall. Nine o'clock. Perfect. Stretching she got up and walked towards the wardrobe, grinning, yep, today was going to be a good day, she thought. Definitely. She grabbed a rather cute blue summer dress with tiny straps, and a cute little pair of pumps. Perfect. Looking out the window Rose saw it was an absolutely gorgeous day. Sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky. Definitely a lucky day.

Rose entered the absolutely huge, white and black kitchen, which she found with ease, simply by following the smell of bacon. She laughed when she saw Jack standing by the black and silver oven, wearing a apron in the shape of a naked woman slung over his usual black jeans and white shirt, cooking the bacon. Arantéle stood a little way to the right, half dancing to Bowling For Soups, High School Never Ends which was blaring out of the black stereo, while she put butter and jam on some toast. The Doctor was sitting at the large dark mahogany table in the middle of the room, a plate piled with bacon, eggs, sausages and tomatoes in front of him.  
"Hey, Rose!" The Doctor noticed her first. Jack turned round spatula in hand, and his face burst into a huge smile.  
"Hi! Are you OK? Did you sleep ok? Was the room alright"  
"Shut up Jack, let the poor girl breathe!" Arantéle walked up to Rose and directed her to a seat next to the Doctor, before setting down a full English breakfast in front of her.  
"cheers," Rose said, before devouring the rather delicious bacon. Arantéle sat down opposite the Doctor, eating her own rather large plate of toast. She finished chewing her mouthful before asking,  
"So what we going to do about these damned Zafarax"  
The Doctor replied,  
" I don't know, I've never thought about how to kill them." He thought for a moment before continuing " Do you think you're library could give us any information"  
"I think so. Ok, we'll go to the library after breakfast. Jack, could you go into the village and run me some errands?" She asked shoving a piece of notepaper with black trimming, that was covered in her small, italic writing into his hand. "Sure," he said looking at the list before adding "Flowers for the late vicars wife and oooooohhhh chocolate spread, strawberries, champagne, planning something? Hold on, cant you just magik them all here?" "Nothing you need to know about just yet, Jack. And don't even ask about the witchcraft stuff. You know I believe in helping local shopkeepers. Rose, do you want go with Jack? He needs the company, bless him. He gets lonely don't you sweetie?" she teased "No!" he said sticking his tongue out at her "But I don't mind you coming, if you want?" he added, looking, almost, shyly at Rose.  
"OK," she answered, looking almost shyly back at him.

Three hours after they had entered the library, and the Doctor and Arantéle where bored. They had a pile of books on the table, and another stacked haphazardly on the floor, very close to falling over, as though they couldn't be bothered to stack them properly. Even though most of these books where worth more than a penthouse in Mayfair. Arantéle was sitting on the chaise lounge, absent mindedly eating from a bowl of chocolate coated strawberries and marshmallows, while reading a book written by famous vampire scholar Count Vladimir Samuel Nofratseu. The Doctor was sitting cross-legged on the floor, flipping through another book, trying desperately hard to find anything on ways to get rid of Zafarax. Arantéle shut the book with a slam. "I'm bored," she announced . The Doctor looked up.  
"We do need to find a way to get rid of them though"  
"I know." She replied " But I'm still bored." The Doctor looked puzzled. "Well, what exactly do you want to do?" he asked, raising one eyebrow. Arantéle looked at him and burst into laughter.

Rose and Jack had delivered the flowers to the late vicars wife, with Arantéle's condolences. They where now in the village shop, looking around the entire place for chocolate spread, laughing hysterically. "I wonder why Arantéle needs all this stuff," Rose said, eyeing the champagne that Jack carried "I don't know, but I hope im going to find out. Normally when she sends me out to buy this sort of stuff… well you don't want to know! At least, I don't think you do?" "No, I'm sure I don't!" Rose laughed, before crying "CHOCOLATE SPREAD!!!" and rushing off down the aisle. Jack just thought, wow she has a nice ass and rushed off after her, grabbing her from behind and planting a light kiss on her cheek. Rose felt butterflies. She span around and looked into Jack's eyes. One moment, a moment that lasted an eternity, then she felt Jack's lips on hers, a gentle kiss that was everything a first kiss with someone should be and then the champagne bottle fell to the floor, smashing to pieces. But Rose and Jack didn't notice. Each of there thoughts was solely on the other. Finally they knew how each other felt. Finally, they where with each other. 


	11. The begining of the begining of somethin

Arantéle was soaking. Soaking, cold and laughing. Hysterically. Again.

When she'd said she was bored, the last thing she had expected was this. The Doctor had suggested they have a break from the library, and Arantéle had suggested the back garden. It was a large garden, but not overly so, and perfectly neat and tidy, something the Doctor had expected from someone like Arantéle who was evidently a neat freak. Not that he minded. In fact he found it rather cute. They had, at first, sat in the rather comfortable chairs on the patio and drank some champagne that Arantéle had conjured, while whispering "don't tell Jack!" The Doctor had been taking in the gorgeous scenery, when she majiked a glass of water. Without much of an idea of why she did it, she promptly tipped it over his head. The result was an incredibly fun, rather idiotic, ever so slightly pointless water fight, with a lot of laughing and screaming.

Jack and Rose had walked back to the house hand-in-hand, in silence. They hadn't needed words. They knew now, that each one had felt the same. As Jack had let them into the hallway, they had heard and unmistakable scream from the back of the house. Both of them panicking they had glanced at each other, and instinctively ran in the direction of the scream.

On entering the back garden, Jack found the funniest sight he had ever seen. Rose stood next to him, looking upon the scene with a rather dumbfounded and confused expression. Both the Doctor and Arantéle had bottles of water, which seemed to refill themselves. The Doctor's hair was plastered to his face. His tie lay on the ground next to his jacket, and the top three buttons on his shirt where undone. And of course, he was grinning like a maniac. Arantéle's outfit of skin tight black jeans (she had once again reverted to being as small as a stick) and black long sleeved v-cut top was also soaked, as she was reluctant to morph because having a proper water fight is so much more fun sometimes don't you think?  
Anyway. Her hair, also soaked, was ever-so-slightly messy in the cutest possible way. She also was grinning like a maniac, showing off once again her slightly long, scarily pointy teeth that never seemed to go away no matter what she morphed into.  
"What do you think you're doing?" Jack asked, trying his best to sound serious and menacing and failing miserably. Arantéle and the Doctor span round and burst into laughter when they saw the expression on Jack and Rose's faces. "We got bored." Arantéle said by way of explanation. "Very bored." she added when she saw Rose half laughing and half trying to ask Arantéle 'why?' with her face "Evidently," Jack said half laughing and half shaking his head at Arantéle. Arantéle turned to the Doctor and said "Come on, we better stop now these two are, here… oh! Holding hands I see! Well you go Jack. But does this mean we cant get that dinner, and get that coffee afterwards?" Jack looked at Rose, who immediately said "I don't care if you guys do whatever, but, Doctor, why don't you take Arantéle out for dinner?" Arantéle looked at the Doctor half hopefully and half like she was laughing at Rose. Jack and Rose kept insisting to the Doctor that he should take Arantéle to dinner, until finally, Rose and Jack having finally worn him down, so he said, he agreed.

It was eight o'clock, and the Doctor was waiting in the Lounge. And he was nervous. For no reason other than he hadn't actually ever taken anyone to dinner. Except chips.

Arantéle was nervous. But at least she admitted, at least to Rose why she was nervous.  
"Just relax. You'll be fine"  
"But what should I wear?" she panicked. They where standing in Arantéle's room, which was decorated in a deep red colour on three sides and black on the other. The carpet was also a deep red, and the duvet was black. There was a fireplace on one side of the room, in front of which was a black leather sofa, and a black coffee table. A golden Buddha stood on the mantelpiece along with two black tallow candles and a picture of Arantéle with her great-great-great grandfather. The low lighting that seemed to be in every room made it seem like some sort of shrine to everything dark. But in a good way. Rose sat on the sofa trying to reassure a pacing Arantéle to calm down. Her hair was down and in waves and she wore just a fluffy black dressing gown.  
"How about some clothes?" Rose said indicating Arantéle's dressing gown. "well of course." "Something small, sexy, you know"  
"Rose, I'm a 57 year old vampire, I don't really do sexy"  
"Yes, yes you do. You just don't know when you are. And you obviously don't look 57. As he doesn't look 900! That's actually quite a big age difference their. 743 years I do think. Rather pervy don't you think? Anyway just wear what you would've worn if Jack was taking you"  
"Rose if Jack was taking me, it would have been Jack. This is the Doctor. He's rather different"  
"True"  
"What's his type? Wilting flower?" she morphed so she wore a white fitted blouse and a pale blue circle skirt and had strawberry blonde hair. "Bright and bubbly?" she now had blonde hair in curls and wore a pink floor length dress and pink opera gloves "Or smouldering temptress?" They both laughed as Arantéle now wore a black tight micro mini with stockings, suspenders and a hardly there tube top and had long black hair than was tied up in a high pony tail. Noticing the Moulin Rouge quotes Rose laughed "Oh I'd say smouldering temptress definitely! But I think if you walked into the restaurant like that you'd be thrown out"  
"I most certainly would not. I'm very good friends with the owner!"

It was now twenty minutes past eight, and the table was booked for half past. What the hell could be taking so long?  
He began to pace around the room. Jack walked in.  
" What's up"  
"Where is she"  
"Rose"  
"No Arantéle"  
"Aw… are you nervous"  
"No! it's just we'll lose the booking"  
"Don't worry, Arantéle is on very good terms with the manager. Ever since she helped arrange his wife's funeral. Anyway, that's what I came down to tell you. She will be down any moment now." With spectacularly good timing, Rose opened the door, with a rather mischievous grin on her face. Jack instantly wondered what on Earth, or Barbados for that matter, Arantéle had decided wear. Grinning broadly Rose half laughed her way through an announcement "May I present Miss Arantéle Malkavain." She half-turned to the door expectantly. When she didn't come through the door she said a little louder " Arantéle Malkavain!" When she didn't appear this time Rose turned towards the door and yelled "Arantéle Malkavain! Get your cute butt down here!" Footsteps on the wooden floor relieved the tension. Feeling very very nervous the Doctor glanced at Jack who was looking expectantly at the door, grinning like mad, and his nerves quadrupled.

I my hair ok? Oh God it's a mess! What about the suit is that ok? Do I have anything on my shirt. No. Good. Does the tie look ok? Do these trousers make me look fat? Oh my God they do. And why am I still wearing these stupid glasses? These thoughts went through the Doctors head in about fives seconds while he checked his outfit which was a black suit with a white top and black tie.

Arantéle walked to the door and, feeling a lot more nervous than she looked, walked inside.

Rose grinned at the expression on the Doctor's face. He was trying to keep in mouth shut and his eyes of her now quite ample cleavage. Jack stood their, looking shocked and surprised a huge grin on his face, which turned into a laugh which he quickly turned into a cough when he saw the Doctor's face.

Arantéle now had dark brown hair that was curled and fell to her shoulders. She wore a black satin asymmetric dress with a halter neck which really drew attention to her now ample cleavage. It had a front wrap and cascading ruffled bits adorned the skirt. As usual she looked fantastic. When you can morph you never need to look bad.  
"Are we going to go?" She asked quietly, her voice betraying her nervousness. The Doctor ran a hand through his already messed up hair and nodded, seeming unable to speak. Arantéle laughed nervously and gave Jack and Rose a quick hug and then her and the Doctor walked out of the door.  
"Out of interest where exactly is this restaurant"  
"Oh! I totally forgot! You don't know where we're going! Well, it doesn't really matter to me where we go"  
"Where's the place Jack was going to take you"  
"Just down the road on the left." "OK." They walked down the road in a slightly nervous silence, each of them unsure what to say, which for Arantéle was a first. They reached the restaurant which the Doctor was sure he'd never seen before. Small and set into a tiny corner near a side-street that the Doctor couldn't remember. It was black on the outside, but if you looked in the window you could make out the small, almost all two-seater, tables. It was called Quelli Della Notte which translated as Those Of The Night which he thought fitting for Arantéle. He quickly realised he should open the door and did so. "Thank you." the Doctor noticed that Arantéle sounded nervous and had blushed slightly. She stood for a moment smiling at him, then thought that she must look a complete twat standing there grinning and hastily walked through the door. The Doctor followed her into the dimly lit restaurant where they where immediately accosted by the host, a rather chubby, slightly balding man with yellow skin and a thick black moustache and who wouldn't have looked out of place on The Lady And The Tramp. "Good evening! Welcome to Those Of The Night! A table for two I presume." only he said it in Italian "Buona sera, sir. Yes please, table for two"  
"Miss Arantéle! How are you this evening. Not with Jack this evening"  
"No. This is the Doctor. I'm very well thank you"  
"Ah welcome Signor Doctor. You in luck Miss Arantéle. I have very special table this evening"  
"No, nothing to special Signor, please"  
"No protest, now follow me." He started to lead towards one side of the restaurant, Arantéle turned to the Doctor, shrugged and followed him. 


	12. ebarrasment roses and Margot Cheal

Total embarrassment. The Host had led them out onto the terrace, where they where sat at a two-seater round table, a single rose in between them. For some stupid reason a guy on a violin had taken it upon himself to provide the music, which he had done in great measure, all of them sad, romantic love songs. Total embarrassment.

I am never going to live this down. Never ever. Arantéle thought to herself as the Doctor glanced nervously around and she stared at the already wilting rose in between them. Almost unnoticeably she moved her hand in a small sweeping motion and the rose looked as though it had just been picked. They had finished their first course and where now waiting for the waiter to hurry up.

God this is awkward. OK, say something smart. Like what? Oh come on your 900 years old can you please think of something smart? Think… OhMyGod. I'm a 900 year old alien and I have nothing whatsoever to say. Um… God I'd know what to say if Rose was here. Ok what would I say if Rose was here? Oh come on think. He glanced down at the menu the waiter had just given them. "Do they do steak?" Arantéle glanced up as if to say 'what????????' Do they do steak? the Doctor thought why the hell did you say that?? Do they do steak indeed. In a bloody Italian restaurant. Stupid. Now she's going to think you're a complete idiot.  
"Um… I don't think so," Arantéle said, clearly trying to stifle a laugh.  
"Italian, isn't it." the Doctor replied "Yes." Arantéle laughed.

That is seriously cute Arantéle thought. Do they do steak. Bless.

Somehow, the Doctor's mistake broke the ice and the rest of the course passed without a hitch. Then, the violinist started playing a tune that sounded suspiciously like Bella Notte from Lady And The Tramp and a guy selling flowers seemingly appeared from nowhere. "Beautiful flower for your beautiful lady?" He asked the Doctor in a thick Italian accent, indicating Arantéle. The Doctor looked shocked and confused. Arantéle looked embarrassed.

Come on get a flower He thought. Finally his mouth obliged and he found himself saying "Of course. The best one you have." the Italian guy handed him a perfect blood red rose and handed it to the Doctor. The Doctor then stood up and walked to Arantéle's side;  
"For you, Arantéle," She blushed slightly, taking the rose, which had no thorns,  
"The perfect gentleman are you not"  
"For you, of course," He returned to his seat. Not knowing what to say Arantéle looked up at the sky. The Doctor looked at her, properly looked at her and smiled. She's beautiful. She's a vampire.  
I don't care Don't you?  
No. I wonder what her true form is. I don't honestly think I've ever seen a vampire in true form.  
You could ask her.  
No. I wonder if people are ever horrid to her.  
I wonder if she drinks blood.  
Oh shut up. Great now I'm arguing with myself.

Arantéle watched the Doctor, and judging from the vibes and confused expression on his face could guess he was having an inner argument, and wondered what about. Resisting the urge to use her mind-reading talents, she looked around for something to talk about. She noticed the waiter coming over and pointed it out to the Doctor.

The rest of the meal was, as Arantéle put it to Rose later that week "cool, he was sweet, it was cool" while blushing fiercely, which Rose took as "OMG it was amazing!!!" It was after the meal, walking home wasn't so brilliant.

They had been walking arm-in-arm, and to anyone who didn't know, they would have been a perfectly normal couple, walking home after an evening meal. 

Margot Cheal was not an ordinary person.

Arantéle and the Doctor where walking slowly back to the house, talking quietly about nothing of interest when Arantéle stopped suddenly, pulling the Doctor to a halt. Her eyes where closed, her face a complete blank.  
"Arantéle?" The Doctor asked, concern creasing his face. "what's wrong?" Her answer confused him, until he realised she was not talking to him.  
"What do you want? And why are you still in the shadows?" A figure stepped out from the shadow of a building behind them. Arantéle turned around.  
"Margot, Margot Cheal, isn't this a pleasant surprise?" she said to the tall, willowy figure half-cloaked in shadows. The Doctor looked at Arantéle in confusion and muttered "Arantéle, what the," She silenced him just by putting a finger on her lips. The figure stepped out of the shadows and into the pale moonlight. Tall and willowy Margot Cheal would have been beautiful, if her face wasn't twisted with pure hatred, as she looked at Arantéle. She had long blonde straightened hair, and light blue eyes. She wore tight black jeans and a black top, mostly covered by a large black cloak which she was wrapped around her to protect her from the cold. Arantéle was looking at her a polite smile on her face, looking as though seeing Margot Cheal was the most amazing thing that had happened to her all year. "A pleasure indeed, for me anyhow, for you I doubt its much of a pleasure." Margot replied venom lacing her voice.  
"No indeed, Margot, you are mistaken. You have quite made my night. What brings you to this humble planet, dearest Margot? No, let me guess, forgive me for being vain, but could the reason you have travelled so far from you're festering hole of a planet be me?" the politeness in her voice never fading "Aren't you the vain one? But yes, much as it pains me to admit it, you are the reason I travel so far"  
"I thought as much. But how rude of me, I haven't introduced you two." She took hold of the Doctor's arm " This is the Doctor, Doctor this is Margot Cheal. The Doctor is a new acquaintance I had the pleasure of forming just the other day. Margot is old, shall we say, friend of mine." "Hi," The Doctor said, trying to make out what was going on in Arantéle's head. She was going to do something, but what?  
"Ah, Doctor, Doctor who I wonder"  
"Just the Doctor, though there are many names for him." said Arantéle answering for him. "Anyway, Margot, for what reason do I have the honour of you seeking me out from so far"  
"You know all to well, Arantéle Malkavain. Does your little Doctor friend know of your form"  
"If you are talking about me being a 57 year old vampire with a fetish for handcuffs, well, hating to ruin your moment but yes he does. Actually, I don't think you did know about the handcuff thing did you?" When the Doctor shook his head in the negative "Oh well, never mind," Turning back to Margot she continued "But yes he does know about me being a vampire." her face was totally impassive, and she was still speaking with all the politeness she was brought up with , but the Doctor could of sworn that he saw her eyes flash red, when she said that but then they where back to the blue eyes she had started the evening with.  
"But has he seen you in your true form, I wonder?" Margot asked "No, like I said I only had the pleasure of forming the Doctors acquaintance only yesterday"  
Margot grinned. On someone with such a beautiful face, you would imagine a beautiful smile. Margot Cheal's smile was beautiful. Could have been beautiful. Would have been beautiful if in wasn't for the pure venom that was in her eyes and etched onto every part of her face. "Show yourself, Vampire." her voice was no longer just laced with hatred, was pure hatred in its ugliest form, and was raspy and did not suit her general appearance. "Show yourself, Margot." Arantéle said, her voice still as polite and calm as she could make it. Margot's back arched and the Doctor heard her shoulders click, her body twisted and the true form of Margot Cheal stood before them. "What the…?" the Doctor muttered turning to face Arantéle who was laughing her head off.  
"And now we see, the true Margot!" she laughed "Your turn now, dearest Arantéle!" Arantéle turned to the Doctor and simply said "I wish you didn't have to see me like this. I'm sorry." And she turned. Into the true form of Arantéle Malkavain. A very pale blue in colour she had the shape, roughly of a human, but for the huge bat-type wings she had coming out of her shoulders. Her already overlong teeth where even longer and sharper. Her hair was as black as the sky above her, or around her I should say, given the fact she was now hovering some fifty feet above the ground, and it hung to her shoulders. She had the high cheekbones that distinguished the Malkavain clan. Her eyes where the red that the Doctor thought he had seen earlier and somehow she was terrifying and beautiful, which only served to make her more terrifying.  
"You get quicker at changing everyday Arantéle"  
"Thank you Margot. May I ask a question"  
"Fire away, Arantéle" "why do you despise me so much"  
"Arantéle you know why." "No forgive me I do not." She turned back into the Form she started the evening with, as did Margot. Arantéle began to walk toward Margot, who held up a gold crucifix. Arantéle reeled back, but then stood up in front of Margot and laughed. With a flick of her hand the crucifix was burning.  
"Not going to work Margot"  
"Spawn of the devil"  
"You know Margot, those insults grew old when we Where in high school. Why do you still hate me"  
"You know full well, Vampire." She threw some sort of potion type thing over Arantéle which made herhiss in pain. A large gash started to appear on her cheek "Leave me alone Margot. Go back to your festering dump of a planet, before I make you." She turned toThe Doctor, "Take hold of my hand." He did so and she changed back to her true form now grabbingonto him with a claw, and she took them back to thehouse.

Upon landing outside the house, Arantéle turned back to human form, still with the raven black hair and high cheekbones but back to human still with the gash across her cheek that didn't disappear when she morphed. She moaned softly and collapsed.

Not knowing what else to do, the Doctor shouted for Jack and banged on the front door. Jack and Rose ran outside. They stopped when they saw Arantéle laying on the floor, the gash across one cheek dripping blood into a steady pool next to her face. Rose started asking what happened. Jack silently picked up Arantéle's unmoving form and carried her inside.

They took her to her room, Jack setting her down on the bed. "What happened to her?" he asked the Doctor, who related the meeting with Margot, the solution she'd poured over her and seeing Arantéle and Margot in their true forms.  
"The thing is I don't know what she was. I've never seen anything like that before." Rose and Jack looked at each other both of them privately thinking that what with Zarfarax and a weirdo called Margot Cheal stalking Arantéle, things weren't exactly going well. 


	13. a challange and the begining of a war

The next morning, Rose took Jack, who had been watching over ArantИle all night, some coffee. He was sat in a chair next to ArantИle▓s bed. She was tucked in her bed, the gash still steadily bleeding through the bandage.  
⌠Jack, babe,■ Rose whispered. He looked at her sleepily.  
⌠Cheers.■ he replied trying to muster a smile ⌠No change?■ This was starting to remind her of something she▓d seen in a TV hospital programme. Jack turned his face back to ArantИle. ⌠None,■ he sounded thoroughly depressed, noted Rose. She sat down on the arm of his chair, crossing her legs, clad as they where in some blue jeans from the wardrobe in her room. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and looked at the still body of ArantИle. ⌠ I▓ve called for her GP. He said he▓ll be over in about half an hour.■ Rose said.  
⌠OK.■ They heard the door open behind them, and a thoroughly dishevelled looking Doctor walked in He wore his usual suit but the bags under his eyes betrayed his worry and lack of sleep. He walked up to the bed and looked at ArantИle. He turned to Rose, asking her the question no one could answer with his eyes. ▒What▓s wrong with her?▓ ⌠I don▓t know, Doctor.■ He turned to Jack, who shrugged and took a sip of coffee. Sensing the Doctor wanted to be on his own she got up and said ⌠Come on Jack, I need to speak to you, outside, now.■ He glanced at ArantИle but then saw the utter sadness in the Doctors eyes and muttered ⌠OK.■ They left. The Doctor, sitting in the seat Jack was in, took hold of ArantИle▓s hand. ⌠What▓s wrong with you?■ he whispered, mostly to himself. She had scared him, by being ill. He didn▓t know what to do. He▓d checked over her, using one of the many settings on the sonic screwdriver. It didn▓t add up. All there was was the large gash on the cheek, a normal wound as far as he could tell. He would▓ve checked the solution that Margot chucked over her, but it seemed to have been absorbed. For once in his 900 year life, the Doctor hadn▓t got a clue.

He sat there until the local doctor came. He was as confused as the Doctor. Nothing but a large cut on the cheek. He▓d prescribed some cream but he doubted it would do much good. Then the Doctor still sat there, holding her hand, softly talking to her now and again. He fell asleep there that night, Jack just on the other side, devastated by ArantИle▓s condition.

Two days past. In the Village, everything went on as usual. In the house, nothing changed. Rose tried her utmost to cheer up Jack, to help the Doctor, but nothing they did worked. They just sat in the room, Rose bringing coffee every now and then. They talked little, each lost in their own private thoughts, and if they did talk, they did so in whispers, as though they where in a library not a bedroom. Rose stared at the fantastically dark decorations, remembering how she had thought how it looked like a shrine to all things dark. It looked even more so, with ArantИle stirring restlessly in the black satin sheets, her black hair splayed out on the pillow but still not waking, giving no sign of life except unrelenting twisting and turning and screwing her face up as though in agony, Jack and the Doctor sitting in a sombre silence, curtains drawn.

On the third day, finally something happened. The Doctor was sitting holding ArantИle▓s hand, when, with her eyes scrunched up in pain, she took in a deep breath and stopped stirring. She let out her breath slowly, opening her eyes as she did so. He sat up straighter ⌠ArantИle?■ with a glazed over expression, she turned her head to face him. He struggled to contain his disappointment at he rather hoarsely whispered reply ⌠Where▓s Jack?■. Right on cue once again, an incredibly sad looking Jack. He noticed ArantИle▓s eyes opened and a small smile broke onto his lips, a smile which widened when she whispered ⌠Jack, Jack come here.■ He went over to her.  
⌠ArantИle,■ ⌠Jack,■ she managed a weak smile ⌠What do you need?■ ⌠I need you to do something for me.■ Jack nodded enthusiastically ⌠Anything.■ ⌠Go to the market, there is a stall there. It will be covered entirely in black and have no name. The woman that runs will be very very old. Speak to her, tell her I need her to come at her earliest convenience. And tell her to bring her wax candles, tarot cards and scrying stones. . She will tell you she will come after dark. Say that will be fine.■ Jack nodded in agreement. ⌠ After that go to the bar by the sea. A blonde woman will be sitting at the bar. Ask her if her name is Margot. She will ask who is asking. Do not tell her. Say to her that ArantИle Malkavain says if it is a war she wants, a war she will get.■ Jack nodded. He kissed ArantИle on the forehead, and started to walk out of the room ⌠And Jack?■ He turned back around ⌠Take Rose with you.■ He smiled. ⌠OK.■

Rose and Jack walked down to the village centre hand in hand. The found the store easily.  
⌠ArantИle Malkavain wishes to see you at your earliest convenience.■ The old woman smiled, a slightly twisted smile.  
⌠I shall come after dark.■ ⌠She asks you to bring your wax candles, tarot cards and scrying stones.■ ⌠Naturally.■ She turned her back to them, signalling the end of the conversation. Rose and Jack started towards the bar. Rose asked Jack ⌠What are scrying stones?■ ⌠Well, they▓re like a complex blend of runes and ⌠Naturally.■ She turned her back to them, signalling the end of the conversation. Rose and Jack started towards the bar. Rose asked Jack ⌠What are scrying stones?■ ⌠Well, they▓re like a complex blend of runes and tarot. But unlike either of them they are very precise and not open to wide interpretation, to anyone who wasn▓t a master of them they would spell nonsense. It takes someone very skilled to read them and then years to master. Even ArantИle cannot read them very well.■ ⌠Oh┘■ They reached the pub.  
⌠Here we are,■ Jack stated, opening the door for Rose, who said thanks and walked in. It was a smoky slightly run down pub, and only regulars really went there. Three old men sat in one corner, their game of poker on hold while they stared at the new comers. A woman sat in one corner, her face covered with a thick black veil. And at the bar sat another solitary figure. All Rose and Jack could see was their back, and the back of their hooded head. Jack turned to look at Rose who shrugged. They made their way towards the bar.  
⌠Margot Cheal?■ The hooded person turned round. A woman, her blonde hair and flawless skin. But her eyes, Rose noticed where filled with wisdom beyond that of the age given to her from looks alone.  
Like ArantИle Rose thought.  
⌠Who▓s asking?■ ⌠ArantИle Malkavain has asked me to inform you that if it is a war you want, a war you shall get.■ ⌠You mean that stupid little bint is not dead?■ ⌠No.■ ⌠Well, tell Miss ArantИle, that indeed, a war I do want. Although she may regret saying that. Tell her I know what secrets lie hidden in her cold dead heart.■ Jack and Rose walked out, and began their walk back to the house, each of them wondering about Margot▓s words 


	14. a rather accurate prediction

That evening, when Jack told ArantИle in confidence what Margot Cheal had said, she had laughed. ⌠Margot Cheal, my haven▓t we grown confident! She shall get her comeuppance, by my faith she will.■

The sun had just set. Rose didn▓t know how she knew that, but she knew, as though she had stood and watched the remaining light bleed from the sky. When in actual fact she had been sleeping in a chair in the dimly lit lounge, until she had been woken up by the doorbell. She stretched and headed to the door. Jack, somehow was already there, and opened the door before her. The old woman from the stall was there. She smiled.  
⌠ArantИle Malkavain, I presume is upstairs?■ ⌠Yes, yes of course come in.■ Jack held the door open for her.  
⌠Thank you.■ The old woman stepped inside and continued up the stairs, as though she knew exactly where to go. Which, thought Jack, she most probably does.

A black table stood in the middle of the room, the old woman▓s black tallow candles burning, giving the only source of light in the room ArantИle, Rose, and the old woman (Lilith- meaning Of The Night) forming a rough circle around it. On the table lay some cards.  
⌠Very interesting,■ Lilith said in possibly the most clichИd and obvious way ⌠What is?■ replied ArantИle, filling her duty of looking totally fascinated by the old woman. Rose looked upon the two with interest.  
How different they are, she thought. There was Lilith, her hair grey, thin and straggly. Her nose was so small it was practically inexistent. Her face was pockmarked and yellowed. She walked with a hunched back and limped, she was, in fact, exactly as a weird enigmatic, old guide is imagined to be. The there was ArantИle, her hair raven black (she still couldn▓t morph), her skin so pale it was practically translucent, her cheekbones high. When she did walk, she walked with a straight back, her head held up. She was beautiful. Except for the large white bandage across her cheek, slowly and steadily turning red from the blood dripping through. ⌠it seems a positive reading, but there are trials you must face before you accomplish your goal. The Lovers- Lovers and close friends take centre stage. Take the time to tell those closest to you what they mean to you. The devil- Matter overpowers mind. Desires rule. Beware of your dark side. The pursuit of sensual pleasures may taint your ability to think clearly. Straight after, X of cups- tender words and sympathy bring best results, speak from your heart. A sudden flirtation or love affair is likely. This is followed by IX of wands fight for and hold on to what you believe in. Victory soon arrives.■ ⌠So basically its saying, I▓m going to meet a tall dark handsome stranger, who▓ll sweep me off my feet.■ ⌠Not at all. Its saying you already have, and things will start to happen soon.■ ArantИle looked at Rose, who looked back meaningfully. It seemed to ArantИle that they hadn▓t all been brought together through happy chance, rather that they had been supposed to meet like they did. If ArantИle had believed in a God, she would have thought it Their work, but she didn▓t. As far as she was concerned, the true Gods died with the Daleks. Except now she finds one Time Lord left, a lonely God. Doomed to wander time and space forever. ⌠Maybe I have.■ she grinned. ⌠Now to the stones!■Ten minutes later and once more Rose, Lilith and ArantИle where in a circle, this time on the floor. A chalk circle was drawn on the now wooden floor (ArantИle had not lost most of her majick and Lilith had some.) A doeskin bag lay to one side. In the circle was stones, scattered in what seemed to Rose to be a random fashion though she knew they obviously weren▓t. The stones themselves where small, elliptical and white, each with a mark carved in it, painted in black. Lilith turned to Rose.  
⌠You know of the stones?■ she inquired.  
⌠I freely admit to knowing little about them, only that they are a complex blend of rune and tarot.■ ⌠Then you know enough to be getting on with.■ Turning back to ArantИle she continued ⌠Now, earlier you mentioned this ▒tall dark handsome stranger▓ Please tell me who he is, he may feature in the reading.■ ⌠The Doctor. The last of the Time Lords. Rose here is his┘ his companion.■ ⌠The Doctor?■ ⌠Yes.■ Lilith glanced at her stones. ⌠I knew he would feature.■ ⌠Where?■ ArantИle asked excitedly, peering over the stones.  
⌠Hush, child, listen.■ ⌠Child! I am 57 years old thank you very much!■ ArantИle argued, before shutting up to listen to the old woman, who pointed to each stone as she spoke of it.  
⌠Struggle. Its orientation to the others indicates it will be soon, involve many sacrifices and involve six people. The Guide, me. The traveller, that will be you Miss Rose. The Lover; of course the wonderful Jack. The betrayer, I am unaware of who this person is though I am sensing they are female an have a close connection with you, ArantИle .■ ArantИle interrupted ⌠Margot Cheal.■ Lilith continued ⌠Then, The Hunters, its orientation indicating both two and Gods. That, I am sure, indicates you ArantИle and the Doctor.■ ⌠Gods?■ ⌠That is what it indicates.■ ⌠What do the other stones mean?■ inquired Rose, pointing to a few other stones Lilith had not talked of.  
⌠They are irrelevant. Their placing merely determines the meaning of the other stones.■ ⌠Oh Ok.■ 


	15. an offer of help

Downstairs, the Doctor of whom Lilith, Rose and ArantИle where speaking of, and Jack, sat in the kitchen, eating more toast.  
⌠I wonder what they▓re talking about.■ the Doctor pondered out loud ⌠Don▓t know. Doing a scrying stones reading most probably.■

In truth, Lilith, Rose and ArantИle where sitting on ArantИle▓s bed, talking of Jack and the Doctor.  
⌠So what exactly happened when you and Jack went shopping?■ ⌠WE couldn▓t find the chocolate spread and where laughing, then I spotted it and ran off. Jack followed and sort of grabbed me from behind and just kissed me.■ ⌠That▓s so cute! He▒s totally into you!■ ⌠You think?■ ⌠Definitely.■ ⌠ How do you know?■ ⌠You know that night we first met?■ ⌠Yes?■ ⌠You know when I told you that Jack was still in love with a girl he met long ago?■ ⌠Yes?■ ⌠I asked him, a few days before we met, who she was. He told me she was a girl called Rose Tyler.■ ⌠You knew he liked me?■ ⌠Yes, but I had to let you find each other on you own. Forcing things never did anything any good.■ ⌠True. So what about your dinner date with the Doctor?■ ArantИle blushed.  
⌠Cool, it was cool.■ ⌠I▓m guessing that means ohmigod it was amazing▓?■ ArantИle blushed even harder ⌠Yes, I suppose, until Margot made an appearance.■ ⌠So? Tell me everything.■ ArantИle did. She told of how The Host had took them to the most romantic place in the restaurant. How he had brought her the perfect red rose, which she conjured up from whatever dimension or realm she put it in for storage. How he▓d had an inner argument then asked if they did steak. How she thought that was possibly the cutest thing ever.  
⌠Oh bless!■ Rose interrupted here. Lilith sat silent, listening intently, as was her nature. The Doctor. she thought should be a very happy man. This beautiful woman is evidently very much on her way to falling in love. Her thoughts turned to when she first met ArantИle.

ArantИle had only been twenty seven. Lilith had been fifty eight. They had met when ArantИle first brought a house in Barbados, in The Town of the Vampyre. ArantИle had come to her store, gazing wistfully at the scrying stones. Lilith was a solitary sort of person, always had been, but something about ArantИle, maybe the way her long teeth showed when she smiled; perhaps the way she sounded, walked and acted as though she was straight out of a Jane Austin novel. Perhaps it was the shared love of scrying stones, tarot and all things mystical, or perhaps it was something else, but whatever it was, it had led Lilith out of her solitary life and given her the friend she▓d never had and never realised she had wanted. Lilith was not human, neither was she vampire. Nor witch, nor harpy. What she was, was something that ArantИle could never know. She was a vessel. Inside her lay a spirit. One that had been to the other side and had now been sent on a mission, to make up for sins it had committed in its lifetime. Lilith, who had been fourteen at the time and called Joanna, had been a willing sacrifice. They had left the spirit of Joanna inside of Lilith, to enable her to keep the human form, but the spirit of Lilith was stronger and kept control. She was sent to Barbados by the Empress Of Time, who ruled over the Time Lords and Mistresses Of Time, herself. The Empress, a odd but brave and confident young woman named Azalea, had ordered her to keep watch her, ▒in case▓ she had said. Then Lilith had met ArantИle and understood. This was the town that was to be ArantИle▓s town. Brave and beautiful ArantИle. Lilith could have predicted her future without the Cards and without the Stones. She had perception in that way. But ArantИle was to never know that her life was already mapped out. Set in a way that not even Lilith could understand. Of course ArantИle made her own choices. But the Way is always one step ahead, knowing what would happen if she chose this path or that. She could have chosen to leave Rose and the Doctor that night. Chosen to leave them to the mercy of the Zafarax. But she hadn▓t. That was her nature.

Downstairs, talk had turned to Rose and ArantИle. ⌠So, how▓s things with you and Rose?■ inquired the Doctor, feeling quite relaxed now he was confident enough that ArantИle was making a recovery. Jack thought before answering.  
⌠Everything▓s fine. She▓s a great girl. Really understanding, you know?■ ⌠Yeah I know.■ ⌠What about you and ArantИle?■ ⌠There is no me and ArantИle.■ ⌠Yeah of course.■ ⌠Yes!■ ⌠Sure. So, do you want there to be a you and ArantИle?■ ⌠I don▓t know.■ he thought before deciding he could trust Jack enough to ask him. ⌠Do you think she wants there to be a me and her?■ ⌠I▓m sure of it.■ ⌠How do you know?■ ⌠I▓m just sure that▓s all. I▓ve been friends with her since I was fourteen. I▓ve travelled with her for two Earth months. She▓s my best friend and the sweetest, kindest girl I know. Except Rose of course. I just know.■ ⌠I suppose. But I mean what do I do about it?■ ⌠OK. Let me get this straight. Your 900 years old and you don▓t know what to do about a girl.■ ⌠I have been with girls before. But┘■ ⌠ArantИle is different?■ ⌠Yes! Exactly! So what do I do?■ ⌠Well, exactly what level of relationship are you on right now?■ ⌠How do you mean?■ ⌠Well, have you kissed her yet?■ ⌠I walked arm-in-arm with her on the way back from the restaurant.■ ⌠And that▓s it?■ ⌠Yes.■ ⌠OK┘ maybe you need more help than I anticipated. 


	16. dissaperances and defence mechanisms

That night, more Zafarax attacked the Village. Jack and the Doctor had run out to help, and hopefully get some answers about how to kill them. Rose and ArantИle ( only by force) stayed inside. The Doctor returned half and hour later, a sombre look on his face. Guessing at once it had something to do with Jack, both Rose and ArantИle jumped up, ArantИle at once asking ⌠What▓s the matter? Did they kill him? What happened?■ ⌠No they didn▓t kill him. They took him, he was trying to help a man stuck with one of them, then they took him instead.■ Both Rose and ArantИle cried in great measure.

ArantИle▓s condition improved over the next few days, under the watchful care of Rose, and with plenty of Rose▓s cooking and coffee. She spent all of her time in the library with the Doctor, studying every book in the universe for things on Zafarax, her anger that they had killed Gabriel doubled by the fact they had taken Jack. When her great-great-great grandfather had died, she had only been fifteen, and she shut herself away from the world after that had locked herself up. Then she had met Jack, when she was twenty and jack tried to chat her up. They became instant friends and then he had gone travelling and so had she. They met up often and Jack was surprised to find she never looked a day older and her hair always different. Then one day she had nervously told him about her vampire form. He had accepted her without question. They found their friendship became even stronger for what she told him. Later they became housemates and eventually travelled together. He was her best friend and she would be damned if she wouldn▓t find a way to get him back. With her health, so ArantИle▓s talents returned. Using her majick she traced the cut on her cheek and part of the solution came out of her skin. She smelled it, denounced it to be a low and cheap trick and promptly put the bandage back on her cheek. When the Doctor asked what the low and cheap trick actually was, she didn▓t hesitate to tell him.  
⌠A mixture of pure gold, hydrofluoric acid, holly tree bark and other substances. Everything that cam harm a vampire, which admittedly isn▓t much, but everything there is, mixed together. On their own they are painful enough, mixed together┘ well, I▓m lucky I escaped with just this cut.■ ⌠Will it go?■ ⌠Oh yes, it▓ll go. In my lab I have everything I need. But it is a long, slow progress, and you are unable to assist it by magic. You have to find the antidote to each of them in turn, add them all together and then get the one last ingredient, the one thing that will make it into the antidote I need. Then it would take a lot of energy, and then I would need blood, lots of fresh blood, and Jack gave me a pint of blood while I was ill. Besides,■ she added with tears in her eyes ⌠he is not here now. I must get him back before I can possibly get rid of this little paper cut. Believe me Doctor I have had many worse injuries than this!■

Slowly but surely ArantИle lost hope. Not one of the books she read could find anything on how to destroy them. She figured they didn▓t like high-pitched noises but that was it. Nothing else. In her despair, she turned to Rose, who tried to comfort her. Both of them had lost someone very dear to them. ArantИle had lost her best friend and (until they met Rose) lover and Rose had lost her new found love and everything she needed and wanted. The Doctor despaired too, but in silence. Jack was a good friend to him, and understood him, and was going to help him with ArantИle. ArantИle. She had become more distant. Any sign of affection she had ever given disappeared. He knew she was mourning for the loss of jack, but he couldn▓t help wishing she would turn to him for comfort. She barely spoke to him. Even when they were in the library together, nothing broke the silence except the turning of pages. She had become drawn and refused food, needing blood but refusing to majick any or take any. She never morphed, unless into something depressing. She stayed pale and thin, with bags under her eyes that where there out of choice. In her mind she scolded herself for looking a mess when the Doctor was around, but then another part of her mind would think of Jack, and every thought of the Doctor was gone.

For the Doctor it was different. He was convinced that the interest she showed in getting jack back meant she loved Jack, not him. He distanced himself from her further, never speaking, barely looking at her. Because of this, ArantИle convinced herself that he didn▓t love her. She distanced herself from him, and thus the circle began again. And how it hurt them both.

It was on another rainy day at the house, (ArantИle having specifically made it rain) and ArantИle was in the library on her own, again, desperately reading a book on destroying all manner of evil. Rose walked in, a ominous look on her face. ⌠ArantИle?■ ArantИle looked up ⌠Yea?■ a dark look that matched Rose▓s was on her face. Rose walked over to her. ⌠Have you found anything?■ ⌠No.■ ⌠I figured as much. But ArantИle, I need you to listen to me.■ ⌠Listening,■ ⌠It▓s about the Doctor,■ ⌠What about him?■ ⌠OK, first ArantИle, do you love him?■ ⌠What?■ ⌠Do you love the Doctor?■ ⌠I don▓t know him enough to love him.■ ⌠Do you love him?■ ⌠Like I said, I don▓t know him well enough.■ ⌠Don▓t bullshit me ArantИle.■ ⌠OK, Rose, you want the truth?■ ⌠Yes!■ ⌠I don▓t love him. I don▓t love anyone. I am incapable of loving him, or anyone. ⌠Cut the crap.■ ⌠I have no heart, Rose. I am unlike you humans. I need no one. I feel no love for anyone.■ ⌠What about jack. If you didn▓t love him, you wouldn▓t be up here looking for a way to find him.■ ⌠Even if I did love the Doctor, he would never love me he evidently loves someone else, if no one. And as for Jack, just face it Rose, he▓s probably dead. They probably killed him and ate him as soon as they flew off.■ She designed her words to hurt, to make Rose go away, to stop her getting so close to where it hurt. She was solitary both by race and by nature, so didn▓t think twice about hurting someone who got close to her. Besides, she knew that her words would get back to the Doctor, and foolishly she hoped it would make him believe that she didn▓t love him. Her words stung Rose. Tears welled up and burnt the back of her eyes. She blinked and a single tear ran down her face. ArantИle felt a perverse sort of smugness at seeing her words had hit where they where supposed to, that maybe now Rose could feel how ArantИle felt. For she really did hold little hope for Jacks survival, and believing the Doctor to not love her, it stung all the more. So, she did what she had always done. Shut everyone out, and hurt anyone who tried to get close. 


	17. the best part of believe is the lie

Now, some may think that this is probably the worst way to live but to ArantИle, it was the only way. As she sat in her library one day, she cursed herself for letting someone get as close as they had. Even Jack did not know her as much as he thought she did. But that was her way. To shut out everything, and everyone. Never again would she be so foolish. She thought of the Doctor, the way his eyes creased up when he smiled in that manic way, the way his eyes lit up when something went well, his gorgeous lips. God ArantИle don▓t even think about it.

It was a Thursday morning, raining again, about 10 o▓clock when ArantИle steadily walked down the stairs, towards the kitchen. She knew Rose was in there. She could hear her speak to the Doctor in low undertones. She stopped halfway down the hallway when she heard Rose say ⌠So what about ArantИle?■ ⌠What about her?■ ⌠You know what I mean.■ ⌠You know what she said.■ ⌠Doctor, I▓m so sorry.■ ArantИle heard movement which was evidently Rose getting up to give the Doctor a hug ⌠It doesn▓t matter Rose. There wasn▓t anything there to begin with.■ ⌠Don▓t lie to yourself Doctor,■ ⌠I▓m not.■ ⌠Alright then.■ ArantИle allowed herself a small smile. He had bought it then. He believed she didn▓t love him. And so did Rose. Damn she was good at lying. Now she could look better and tell them what she knew. She morphed so she was tall and willowy, with long blonde hair and green eyes. Her skin, instead of the pale she normally was, was slightly tanned, and in a white strap top, dark denim short shorts and cute ankle boots, looked generally stunning. Looking quickly towards the door she flicked her head and the sun came out. She began to once again walk towards the kitchen.

Flinging open the door with a grandeur she didn▓t think she had in her, she strode into the room with confidence she thought she had forgotten. Rose stopped talking at once, looking over ArantИle with a mixture of pleasure that she had emerged from the library and hatred that she had said the things she had.  
⌠Hey people,■ ⌠Hi.■ The Doctor just looked at her. ArantИle felt butterflies then banished them to the back of her mind. He was sitting at one side of the table, an empty glass in front of him. Rose stood next to him her arms crossed. ⌠Warm welcome, huh?■ ArantИle said mainly to herself ⌠Ah well, drink anyone.■ The Doctors glass was filled with lager, Rose found herself holding a glass of white wine, and ArantИle held a glass of something that could have only been blood. Taking a sip, she motioned with her eyes for the others to do the same.  
⌠ I have some news,■ she said ⌠What?■ answered Rose shortly ⌠I▓ve found him,■ 


	18. Malkavain and Miss Marishca

⌠You▓ve what?■ Rose said quietly ⌠Captain Jack Harkness is truly alive, and I know where he is.■ ⌠How do you know?■ ArantИle▓s eyes blazed red for the briefest of moment, then back to green.  
⌠Do not question me, or my methods. He is alive. That is enough. I shall tell you all more later. For now, we must leave at once.■ ⌠To where?■ ⌠To my sister. She can help us. She will know what to do. And if she doesn▓t my Father will.■

Rose, the Doctor and ArantИle walked quickly along the market. Coming to a stall covered in black, ArantИle, who had become once more the form she was when the Doctor had first seen her, apart from wearing a short black dress, walked over to the owner and spoke low in her ear.  
⌠It is decided. We go immediately to Transylvania. My sister and my Father await us there at our home. You must come at once.■ ⌠Of course, child, of course.■ Lilith majiked her stall away with a flick of her hand, and joined Rose and the Doctor.  
⌠We go at your leisure Miss Malkavain.■ ⌠Then we go at once.■

ArantИle led them to a secluded alcove in the cliffs. She huddled them together and asked ⌠Now, do you all trust me?■ ⌠With everything I have,■ was Lilith▓s reply. The Doctor nodded, unable to do much else, trying as he was to banish all thoughts of ArantИle as anything more than a friend. Rose shrugged noncommittally.  
⌠I▓ll take that as a yes. Which is good because there▓s no guarantee this isn▓t going to hurt.■ Grabbing onto Lilith and Rose, she instructed the Doctor to take hold of her arm. When he hesitated she glared at him.  
⌠Do it, or there is no hope of saving Jack,■ He took her arm. ⌠Thank you.■ Closing her eyes, ArantИle worked her majik. All Rose, Lilith and the Doctor felt was darkness closing in all around them, and a slightly uncomfortable sensation of being pulled headfirst into the rough circle they formed. For ArantИle the sensations where tenfold. She felt the darkness and the pain of a thousand different realms and times flashing by them, the back-breaking pain of dragging the other three with her. And above all, she felt their pain. She had willingly taken onboard all the darkness within Rose, The Doctor and Lilith so they could fly easier. She had underestimated the amount of pain they had between them, and it made it harder for her to fly. But she made it. Then they collapsed in a heap on the floor.

Rose had never seen a place so beautiful, so terrifying, so dark. A small village stood below them, the houses and the post office, the little school, everything covered in snow. Snow so thick and white it could have been fake. Right above them, Castle Malkavain, tall dark and imposing. Part castle, part cathedral, part temple. Parts of it seemed to have melted into the others, other parts where clearly defined and jagged. A vast Gothic monolith, it stood proudly and blasphemously on its hill, a castle of spite with its huge stained-glass windows, its turrets and spires, with twisted gargoyles standing guard. It was the most unholy yet amazing place she had ever seen and that▓s exactly where she was going. Castle Malkavain.

⌠Welcome to my true home!■ announced ArantИle, not without a hint of pride, upon the groups arrival at Castle Malkavain. As she walked towards the door, it opened for her, mainly because of the small turn of her hand, rather than some Vampire castle clichИ. Without waiting for her sister, she walked inside, Lilith striding ahead with her, Rose and the Doctor trailing nervously behind. It was dark where they walked, but the Doctor and Rose could make out a large corridor, the outline of fine tapestries. ArantИle knew the castle off by heart, just as she knew where her sister would be. She and Lilith led them along corridors, up staircases and down them again until they reached what the Malkavain family called The Northern study. Once more ArantИle walked in unannounced. A fire roared in a large beautifully decorated grate. The walls where stone, but hung with pictures and paintings, so there was no air of coldness. Seven chairs stood in front of the fire, and a writing desk sat to one side. It was not an overly large room but its proportions where pleasing and its overall air was one of warmth and general cosiness. A raven flew over to ArantИle who, having caught it on her arm, stroked it▓s beak and called it Gloria. She sent it on its way. Walking over to the fireplace she motioned the others to come with her. ⌠Doctor, Rose, Lilith. May I present to you my elder sister Miss Marishca Malkavain.■ 


	19. Styr, True feelings and an offer of help

Marishca stood up from where she had been sitting. She was tall and elegant, much like ArantИle, except had long, wavy blonde hair, and the palest blue eyes. Like her sister she had the high cheekbones that distinguished the Malkavain family and her smile revealed her pointy teeth. Marishca and ArantИle embraced warmly. Best friends as well as sisters, they had hardly ever argued, yet they where so different. Marishca too had the power to break into someone▓s mind but unlike ArantИle used it freely and didn▓t limit herself to when it mattered. Marishca didn▓t posses the ability to morph, she possessed levitation and shadow- walking. She had less powers than her sister, yet was never jealous. Marishca had known for a long time that the Gods had played a part in the making of ArantИle. But she never let on. She accepted her lot, which she had been told many times by ArantИle, was her gift. ⌠Please sit.■ Marishca invited. ArantИle and the others accepted and sat down. Marishca poured them all drinks before sitting in her own chair once more.  
⌠Now, ArantИle, you know well enough the order of this household. It has not changed since you where here, trust me. Dinner is still in the same place at the same time. I will take you to a few rooms where you can each freshen up. Father still insists on formal dress for dinner. He cannot wait to see you ArantИle. He would be here now, but unfortunately he is at a meeting with Zaach. You know where to go do you not ArantИle? Well, take the others to the room next to you.■ ⌠Thank you so much Marishca. I will see you at the normal time.■ and with that she led the way, out of the doors and up into the turretsMay you change into this please Doctor?■ ArantИle inquired holding out a black formal suit for him to take. He just looked at her. She raised her eyebrows at him. He remained silent, once more having an inner argument. ⌠Doctor? Please tell me what is wrong.■ ArantИle was genuinely confused. She thought that by making him believe she didn▓t love him it would clear up any weird atmosphere, but it had just created a new one. ⌠It doesn▓t matter.■ ⌠Yes, yes it does. Please Doctor, I▓ll tell you my secret if you tell me yours.■ Of course ArantИle had no intention whatsoever of telling the Doctor what she thought, because she thought he wouldn▓t tell her. But he did. ⌠The truth is ArantИle, I┘ I▓m upset because┘ well ArantИle, you▓re┘ you▓re so beautiful, and Rose told me what you said. I mean not that I mind what you said because it▓s how you feel. But┘ well, the truth is that▓s not how I feel.■ ArantИle couldn▓t believe what she was hearing. Did he actually love her? After seeing everything she was, could he actually love her. Apparently so. This time she didn▓t have the willpower to resist the temptation. She broke into his mind. What she found was pain. Pain and devastation all around. Rose, the shining light in all of his darkness. Then Jack, his source of comfort during her illness. And her, the enigma, his hope that she could love her. And his pain when he heard what she had said.

The Doctor had no idea that she had broken into his mind. She possessed such powers of delicacy that she could break into the strongest mind and they wouldn▓t know she was there.

⌠There I▓ve told you now┘■ ArantИle shut him up. She kissed him. On the cheek mind you, but she kissed him. Stood up and walked towards the door. As she was about to walk out she turned around briefly and replied ⌠I was a fool, Doctor. But just to let you know┘ I feel the same.■ and she walked out.

About an hour later, ArantИle steadily walked over to Rose and Lilith▓s room. She wore a knee length raw silk red dress, with a tight fitted bodice, flaring out into an a-line skirt, below the hem of the dress you could see two inches of organza red mesh underskirt. She had changed her form so she was tall, with a petite figure, and had long brown hair and conker brown eyes. She knocked on the door. She walked inside after hearing Lilith say ⌠Come in.■ What she saw made her cry out in a ⌠Ohmigod!!!■ Rose was wearing a floor length baby pink dress made of an organza overskirt over a raw silk straight skirt. It was strapless and the bodice was fitted and had a few tiny sequins sown on. Her blonde hair was straightened and she looked so beautiful. Lilith, on the other hand, did not. Only because she still looked the same, only in a black dress and a black cape. That was the height of formal for Lilith, but ArantИle knew her Father would not object. ⌠You look so amazing!■ ArantИle added, taking in Rose▓s general perfect ness. ⌠Thanks,■ said Rose shyly, deciding silently that she should give ArantИle another chance. ⌠You look amazing as well!■ she added ⌠Bollocks.■ was ArantИle▓s reply ⌠Shall we go?■ asked Lilith

The three walked downstairs to a huge dining hall, larger even than the one in the castle at Barbados. The Doctor was already in the room, as was Marishca.  
⌠Father will be down soon, he is just changing.■ she said as Rose, Lilith and ArantИle walked in the door.  
⌠OK. Sit down everyone. Not at the top of the table though, that▓s where Father sits.■ Lilith sat at one side of the table, next to Marishca. Rose sat on the Doctors left and opposite Marishca. ArantИle sat in her designated place, on Marishca▓s left, opposite the Doctor. They sat, exchanging small talk, until ArantИle and Marishca▓s father walked in. Rose felt her breath catch. He was so good looking. If she hadn▓t have known that he had to be over sixty, she would have fancied the hell out of him. He was tall, slender with pale skin and long white hands. He had long-ish dark hair, and if Rose hadn▓t have known otherwise would have thought he was about twenty. He wore tight black jeans and a black top, with a black cape. And he was bloody gorgeous.

ArantИle rose to her feet and walked over to him. ⌠Father.■ she curtsied ⌠ArantИle, my darling.■ he made a slight bow. They embraced and when they broke away ArantИle smiled and said ⌠Allow me to introduce my friends Father. Miss Rose Tyler of London, England. And the Doctor of Gallifrey. Rose, Doctor, this is my Father, Styr Malkavain.■ The Doctor rose and made a small bow, as did Styr. Rose followed ArantИle▓s suit and curtsied slightly. ⌠A pleasure to meet you both, I am sure. Forgive me for arriving late, I was occupied with business.■ He sat down at the head of the table and ArantИle took her place next to Marishca. Styr clapped his hands and servants entered the room, and served them supper.

This was the second time that ArantИle had been embarrassed through an entire meal. Coincidentally it was also the second time she had sat opposite the Doctor. It wasn▓t what he was doing (having an in-depth discussion about some monster or other with Styr) so much as the fact he was actually there, catching her eye every now and then.  
God she▓s beautiful he thought every time he caught her eye God he▓s cute she▓d think every time she looked at him.

It wasn▓t the worst way to spend an evening, shooting secret looks at each other then blushing and looking away when they noticed. Which is exactly the way the Doctor and ArantИle spent the first half an hour of the evening. After which Styr asked ArantИle the reason he had the pleasure of her company, to which she replied,  
⌠I am afraid that I do not come here for the sake of it. I am here because I need you▓re help. My village in Barbados is under attack from the Zarfarax.■ She paused to let this sink in with Styr and Marishca, both who had gasped at the mention of the creatures who had killed Gabriel ⌠They have killed many of the villagers and, though I have scoured every book I can think of, I cannot find a way to kill them. The final straw for me came a while ago, when they took Jack Harkness, who you both know well and love. I have conducted many rites and I have discovered he is alive. Alive, but still captured. I need you▓re help to get him back. He is a very good friend to the Doctor, and to me. He is even closer to Rose, his┘ well┘ they are in love, so it is critical that we get him back as soon as possible.■ When ArantИle had finished her little speech, Styr stood up and exclaimed ⌠My dear girl, why did you not tell us sooner. You will leave for Barbados at dawn. Marishca accompany you, and I will follow a little later after, I enlist the help of Zaach, if you wish him to help?■ ⌠Yes, we will need his help. Thank you, Father.■ he embraced him briefly but warmly and broke away with tears in her eyes. ⌠We will need all the help we can get.■ 


	20. The Time Warp, love and lust

The next morning, as soon as the first light came over the horizon, ArantИle, Rose, the Doctor and Lilith where walking down the hillside, accompanied by Marishca, plans having being laid and good luck wished. When they arrived at a small alcove, ArantИle took hold of Lilith▓s hand, and the Doctors. She then blushed and looked away. The rest held hands so they where all in a rough circle. Once again ArantИle warned that it may hurt and teleported them out of Transylvania. Except on the way back the Doctor could, faintly above the rushing hear Marishca and ArantИle singing ▒Time Warp▓ from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, in laughing voices.

The group landed rather heavily outside ArantИle▓s house, Marishca and ArantИle excepted who landed lightly on their feet, still singing ▒Time Warp▓, with appropriate movements ⌠It▓s just a jump to the left!■ ⌠Then a step to the right.■ ⌠You put your hands on your hips!■ ⌠And bend your knees in time!■ ⌠It▓s the pelvic thrust!■ ⌠That▓ll drive you insaaanee!■ ⌠Lets do the Time Warp AGAIN!!■ They burst into peals of laughter, which became even louder at the look on Rose and the Doctor▓s face, which was one of total surprise and puzzlement.  
⌠What▓s up with you two?■ Marishca asked through fits of laughter ⌠same question to you!■ ArantИle morphed into the spitting image of Magenta from said Picture Show and danced around them singing Time Warp, once again with appropriate movements. She stopped after her seventh time round and changed back, laughing again at the look on Rose▓s face, which had increased from puzzlement to a look that screamed ▒Are you SURE you▓re sane?▓ Reading her face ArantИle said ⌠Nope, in fact, I think I▓m a little mad. Which is good otherwise this plan probably wouldn▓t work now, would it?■ ⌠What plan?■ inquired Rose. ArantИle tapped the side of her nose and skipped up to the house. Rose shook her head at the sudden transformation from depressed and annoyingly introverted, to the slightly hyper and loveable girl ArantИle was now.

The Doctor couldn▓t contemplate how ridiculous she looked. All he saw was the ArantИle he had first met, had first fell in love with. And when her and Marishca where dancing all he could think of was how she could make even the time warp look like the sexiest dance in the world.

Once inside, ArantИle led them down to the kitchen, which was evidently the most commonly used room in the house. Sitting down at the table, she engaged Marishca in a long and in-depth discussion of all that had been happening in Transylvania while she was away, while Marishca asked what had been happening here, questions to which both answered in detail. Rose and the Doctor sat and listened with interest, especially when Marishca spoke of Castle Malkavain and the surrounding country. ArantИle sat in raptures with her account of the redecoration of the main library. She obviously cared a great deal about her home country, something that the Doctor found incredibly appealing.

That night passed in a pleasant enough way, the four of them just randomly talking, until ArantИle asked to speak to Lilith, Marishca and Rose alone outside. The mentioned three followed her outside, leaving the Doctor on his own.  
⌠I don▓t know what to do!■ ArantИle complained as soon as they shut the door.  
⌠About what?■ asked Marishca ⌠About the Doctor?■ asked Rose ⌠Precisely. I mean all we▓ve done is kiss on the cheek.■

Two minutes later and all the Doctor could hear was a lot of laughter, the Rose, Lilith, Marishca and ArantИle entered the room.

That night, Rose comfortably back in the Ivory room, Lilith and Marishca in other, just as beautiful rooms, the Doctor was simply sitting on his bed, deep in thought, when her heard a timid knock.  
⌠Yes?■ he asked ⌠Can I come in?■ came ArantИle▓s voice ⌠Yes, of course.■ He sat up straighter. ArantИle entered. The Doctor had to physically stop his jaw from dropping. She, once again looked stunning. She wore a black translucent nightgown, through which you could see amazing glimpses of her pale white skin. Her hair was black once more, medium length, and her cheekbones once again high.  
⌠Hi.■ she said, her voice husky. He blinked, trying to figure out whether he was dreaming. He decided he wasn▓t.  
⌠Hi,■ he replied. She walked over to his bed and stood next to it. ⌠Is something wrong?■ he inquired ⌠Why would there be?■ she asked, hands on hips, causing the Doctor to look there, swallow, and look away quickly.  
⌠No reason, I suppose.■ he answered, still facing the other side of the bed.  
⌠Do you mind if I sit down?■ she asked, not giving him time to answer as she conjured a chair and sat down, crossing her legs. The Doctor looked over at her, shook his head, then looked away again quickly when he caught sight of the narrow expanse of skin that was revealed by her crossing her legs.  
⌠Cat got your tongue, Doctor?■ ⌠No, no, never.■ he still didn▓t look at her.  
⌠Doctor?■ her voice was soft, and he couldn▓t resist looking over at her again.  
⌠Yea?■ like her he whispered ⌠Oh, thank goodness, you▓re looking at me. I thought I had a huge spot on my nose.■ ⌠No,■ the Doctor laughed, thinking to himself how perfect she actually looked.  
⌠Or even worse┘ that you thought I looked so awful you couldn▓t bear the sight of me.■ she dropped her voice even more, and leaned in when she said the latter part of the sentence. Catching her eye and not being able to let go, the Doctor managed a feeble shake of the head.

His head was a mess. This cannot be happening.  
Well, it is Theta, so you better believe it!  
Exactly what is happening?  
Duh haven▓t you figured it out yet? You▓re falling in love with her. OHMIGOD! I can▓t be!  
You are!  
How many people are there in my head???

Still holding his gaze, she whispered in his ear ⌠It▓s not that is it, Doctor?■ He shook his head in reply ⌠Cat really has got your tongue hasn▓t it?■ He shook his head again.  
⌠Well, I can think of better things you can do with your mouth, anyway.■ she whispered, her voice dripping with suggestion, and something the Doctor could only describe as barely contained want. He swallowed and managed a shaky ⌠what▓s that then?■ She leaned back on the chair ⌠Whatever you want to do with it.■ 


	21. everbody say AWWW

Twenty minutes later, and ArantИle was sitting in Rose▓s room, in a dressing gown, crying.  
⌠What happened?■ Rose asked sympathetically ArantИle began to explain ⌠I wore what you suggested, and went into his room. It was all going so perfectly, he could hardly speak. I admit, I was totally crazy. I mean, you know how I feel about him. But I concentrated. I played my part so well. I was practically telling him that I wanted him to kiss me all over. And he could hardly look at me. When I said that I could think of better things for him to do with his mouth than talk, his face was a picture.■ she laughed weakly ⌠ I could so tell half of him wanted to be all dominant and make me do what he said, but the half that was winning was quite happy to let me do everything. So after that, I sort of kissed him on the cheek, then down towards his lips, but I didn▓t kiss him on the lips, I just sort of waited. Then I thought everything was perfect. He was looking so stunned, I realised he wasn▓t going to doing anything so I moved away from his lips and began to kiss down his neck. I mean, I could tell, he was loving it. I mean, I could tell from the way he kept catching his breath when I kissed him right here,■ she pointed to a spot on her neck ⌠And I could tell, from more, obvious ways as well.■ ⌠So what went wrong?■ Rose asked softly ⌠Well, I lay on top of him, and I just kissed him on the neck again. He was breathing really heavy by this time. But then┘ then┘■ he broke into tears again.  
⌠Then what?■ ⌠He pushed me away, and said that we couldn▓t, and we shouldn▓t.■ ⌠I am going to kill him.■

The Doctor was sitting on his bed, trying to contemplate exactly what had happened, when he heard a loud, angry knock at his door. He didn▓t have time to say ▒come in▓ as the door was flung open by a flushed and angry looking Rose.  
⌠What did I do?■ he asked ⌠What do you think? Why did you do it Doctor? The girl of your dreams offers herself to you, practically tells you how much she wants you, and you push her AWAY???■ ⌠I┘.■ ⌠You know, Doctor,■ Rose interrupted ⌠She is sitting in my room right now, in a big black dressing gown, trying to figure out what she did wrong, Why Doctor? Don▓t you like her?■ ⌠Yes, of course I do!■ ⌠Then WHY, Doctor?■ ⌠Because I▓m scared, Rose, I▓m scared.■ ⌠What?■ ⌠I▓m petrified. I▓m scared of what I▓m getting myself into. I▓m not domestic Rose. I never will be. What if she wants to be all settled?■ ⌠She wouldn▓t.■ ⌠Even so. She▓s so perfect, Rose. I know I love her. I have known ever since that first night, when we sat talking and she showed me her Sanskrian sword, when our hands touched for the briefest of moments. I know I love her, and I probably always will. But I▓m still scared Rose. I don▓t know what to do. She▓s so perfect. She▓s a lot younger than me- only 57. She▓s kind, funny, generous, smart, talented, generally perfect Vampire girl from the most powerful Clan in the universe. Her Father is the Styr Malkavain, who has connections with every leader in the entire universe and is a very powerful man. She has everything. Why on Earth wouldn▓t she get bored of me? Why would she like me in the first place? I▓m 900 years old, I don▓t have anything to recommend me, except I have a reasonable amount of intelligence, which she wouldn▓t care about, because she has more than enough for herself and whoever she chooses, who will no doubt be another Vampire.■ ⌠Maybe┘■ came a quiet voice from outside the wide open door ⌠Maybe, it▓s because this 57 year old Vampire girl thinks that this 900 year old Time Lord is the sweetest, kindest, most hilarious, cutest person she▓s ever had the good fortune to meet.■ ArantИle entered the room, dressed in a beautiful knee length black dress, the bodice of which was ,of course very tight, and black and purple. Everything went very quiet. ⌠And have you seen the Vampires these days? Eww!■ ⌠Hi┘ ArantИle,■ the Doctor muttered.  
⌠Doctor. Hi Rose.■ ⌠Hey ArantИle.■ ⌠Ummm┘ how much did you hear?■ the Doctor said in a half whisper ⌠Only the last bit. I did not mean to overhear. I hope you can forgive me Doctor.■ ⌠of course.■ ⌠Thank you. Rose, may I speak with you?■ ⌠Yes, of course.■ ArantИle led Rose out of the room. She walked along to her room, Rose following.

Lilith and Marishca where already there, sitting on ArantИle▓s bed. ArantИle sat down, and motioned Rose to do the same. This she did, and thus ArantИle began.  
⌠Listen, Rose. I wanted to tell you before I did what I am going to do. There is no guarantee that what I am going to do will come off, but I can try. I am leaving very soon, Rose. I am going to a planet not to far from here. It is called Anochecer, and Marishca is to accompany me there. We know some┘ people there that may be able to help us defeat a nigh on indestructible foe. I need you to tell the Doctor. I cannot. I entrust the both of you to the care of Lilith. I trust her with my life, and am confident that she will look after the both of you while we are away. Do whatever she says do you understand? It could be vital.■ ⌠OK.■ ⌠Very well. Marishca, hurry we need to be going.■ Marishca got up, hugged both Lilith and Rose and walked out. ArantИle embraced Lilith, then turned to Rose. She gave her a warm hug and whispered into her ear ⌠Look after him, and yourself. You two are all I have left now.■ And so she walked out, her mind already full with the planet she was going to, and the anger and sadness she would cause, the hurt and betrayal when she did what she knew she had to do.

It was hard breaking the news to him. The news that his new found love had gone, for an indefinite amount of time. But he took it well, and didn▓t show much emotion until Rose had gone, when he just sat down and stared into space, his head full of what ifs. 


	22. Evil and Death

And so they arrived. The two Vampire princesses, one- the Heir to the Malkavain estate and name, the other- formed when the God▓s decided to play a part in the affairs of the Malkavain. The two Vampires on the planet Anochecer, ready to lay about a plan that could make or destroy everything.

When they arrived at the Chateau they looked for, the nerves started to hit them. In that Chateau was Onde and Tod. Not as Evil as their name suggests (Onde meaning Evil in Norwegian and Tod meaning death in German), they simply had a taste for the macabre. They had only met them a few times and ArantИle was begging Satan that they remembered her with fond memories.

They knocked on the door of the rather Gothic style Chateau. After waiting for a brief minute, Onde opened the door. Onde was around thirty years of age, tall, slim with eyes of the darkest brown. The black jeans he wore where skin tight, and, like the black shirt he wore, suited his general appearance. His clothing was, for the most part, covered by a long black velvet cloak, that touched the floor, and made a fantastic swishing noise when he walked. ⌠ArantХle Malkavain? Marishca?■ he asked in surprise ⌠Indeed, Onde, it is us. May I say how you look no older than when I first met you.■ ArantХle said politely. ⌠thank you my dear. Now, come in and see Tod.■ The two Vampires followed Onde into the Chateau.

It was a strange house, the Chateau. Decorated in shades of black, purple and red, it seemed a strangely large place for just two people to inhabit.

Tod was sitting in the Drawing room, at a writing desk, a half-completed letter in front of her, quill (yes a quill) in her hand.

When Onde led Marishca and ArantХle into said Drawing room, Tod had her back to them, and was muttering the words of the letter to herself. ⌠Tod!■ Onde said as they walked on, both as a greeting and an introduction. Tod turned around, and smiled when she saw the guests Onde brought with him.

Tod herself was around sixteen years old, with long black hair, and pale skin. Most people would describe her as a goth, which she found hilarious. She wore a black, long sleeved dress, the sleeves of which were artistically ripped. She also wore a black velvet cloak that touched the floor, and around her neck was a black cross.  
⌠Onde. I take it that you two are Marishca and ArantХle?■ ⌠Yes, Tod.■ ⌠Good, now, please, sit down, and explain the unfortunate situation you find yourself in.■ Marishca and ArantХle did so.

Once they had explained the ▒unfortunate situation▓ they found themselves in, Tod looked at them with a serious face and a grave air.  
⌠Girls, I hate to be so depressing (actually I don▓t. Scratch that last), but it seems there is little hope.■ ⌠Indeed, Tod. Which is why we need your help. And Onde▓s if he will consent.■ Marishca glanced at Onde, who gave a slight inclination of the head, which Marishca took as a yes I will help.  
⌠Very well, I will do all I can.■

The next day, Rose and the Doctor where sitting in the kitchen, wondering exactly what ArantХle and her sister where doing, and where they were, when a loud bang came from the front of the house. They ran to the front and hastily opened the door.

ArantХle , Marishca and two people they didn▓t know where on the path in front of the house. Literally laying on it. Next to them was a large mahogany box, not a scratch on it. The Doctor ran over to ArantХle.  
⌠ArantХle? Are you OK? Marishca?■ The latter opened her eyes slowly, grinned and said ⌠So we made it.■ she got up and walked over to her sister. ⌠ArantХle? Wake up my darling.■ ArantХle opened one eye, saw her sister standing over her, opened the other and burst into a hysterical fit of laughter. This woke up the two other people (who we know to be Onde and Tod.  
■Oh, what▓s up with her now?■ moaned Onde ⌠She▓s just a little happy that the stupid thing worked, and the Thing is perfectly safe.■ ⌠Course it is.■ said the man ⌠completely indestructible that box.■ ⌠Yes, yes, we know.■ ArantХle said, scrambling gracelessly to her feet. ⌠Ah, Rose!■ she gave Rose a quick hug and turned to the Doctor. They grinned at each other nervously before shaking hands. ⌠Now, inside everyone.■ she flicked her wrist and the box disappeared. They all followed her inside, the Doctor secretly scolding himself for not kissing her when he saw her. She led them towards the kitchen (surprise), sat down at the head of the table and looked at them all as they filed in. ⌠Don▓t look at me like I▓m going to give you all detention! Sit down everyone.■ they all followed her instruction ⌠ Right then, introductions introductions. Rose, Doctor this is Onde and Tod. Onde, Tod this is Miss Rose Tyler and the Doctor.■ ⌠Nice to meet you all,■ ⌠Lilith, is, I suppose, working?■ ArantХle inquired.  
⌠Yes, she will be back at nightfall,■ ⌠As always. Regular as a clock is our Lilith. Now, Onde, Tod, Rose, Doctor, you should all rest. We fight the Zarfarax and reclaim Jack at nightfall tomorrow. We will talk more in the morning.■ With a wave of her hand she dismissed them all. Once she was sure all of them where out of earshot, she conjured a compact mirror, not a normal mirror you do understand, but one she could see herself in. She looked at herself. ⌠You do know what you▓re doing, don▓t you ArantХle Malkavain?■ she muttered, shaking her head, as if to doubt herself 


	23. Betrayer and Betrayed THE END!

discalimer: mine ALL MINE (evil laugh) (person whispers in ear) What do you mean its not and its time for my meds, i own it I DOOOOOO

The next morning, all were awoken by ArantХle shaking them awake, telling them that they all needed to;  
⌠get up, get dressed, eat, and meet me in the lounge. NOW!■

After around an hour in which Lilith, Marishca, Rose, The Doctor, Onde and Tod dragged themselves out of bed, and ate in a hurry, they all filed into the living room, to see exactly what was so important that they got woken up for. ArantХle observed them over her fingertips for a while, which Rose found quite unnerving. Eventually she explained why she had dragged them all out of a perfectly comfortable bed.  
⌠I have been working all night. Conducting rite after rite. But now I have finished.■ When nobody said anything she looked at Marishca, who smiled a rather evil looking smile back.  
⌠ Now, we fight!■ she said followed by her and ArantХle laughing hysterically, and ArantХle , for some reason, morphing into a bat and flying out of the window.

For the rest of the day, the House was a hive of activity. ArantХle had insisted they take as many weapons as they could possibly carry, yet they simply couldn▓t take too much.

That evening, as darkness fell, six figures stole out of ArantХle▓s house and slowly crept around the village. ArantХle was still inside when the door latched itself. ArantХle, not being very god-fearing, laughed and made her way to the door. Only when she noticed someone sitting on the couch did she stop in her tracks. Pulling a gun from her pocket, she stepped into the lounge. There, reclining on the sofa, was a tall, red-headed man, with mischievous twinkling green eyes. In a whisper, as though she didn▓t want anyone but herself to hear, ArantХle said one word ⌠Dolos?■ ⌠HA! My girl, you actually know me?■ said Dolos, springing up of the chair and heading toward ArantХle.  
⌠Why wouldn▓t I?■ ⌠Well, it must have been 57 years since we last saw each other.■ ⌠When did I see you?■ ⌠When we gave you to the Malkavain clan,■ ⌠We?■ ⌠Yes, we,■ with a sweeping motion of his arm a woman appeared. A tall, beautiful woman, with flowing dark hair, caring a sword and shield. ⌠Athene?■ ⌠It is me ArantХle.■ ⌠What▓s happening?■ With a glint in his eye that told ArantХle she was going to be told something huge, Dolos, God of Cunning sat her down and began to explain.

Rose sighed. Stupid, stupid, stupid Doctor. They had found Jack alright, even without ArantХle, who Marishca had insisted they left. He had been chained up and beaten, but he was alive. And, right now, the exact same thing was happening to them. She wondered where ArantХle was, what had become of her. They had taken there beatings in silence and now the Zafarax had left them to wallow in there own misery. Jack was the first one to break the silence.  
⌠Rose?■ She strained her neck to look at him ⌠Yea?■ ⌠I love you.■ ⌠I love you to Jack.■ Marishca tutted.  
⌠This is no place to be sentimental you two,■ then Lilith spoke up.  
⌠Marishca is correct. We should be trying to escape, not being mushy.■ The door was opened by one of the Zafarax▓s servants, and the entire Zarfarax army entered the hall. Jack spat on the floor. The Leader▓s voice rang out ⌠The following people are charged with trespassing onto our land and attempting to take the one named Jack, from us: Doctor, of Gallifrey, Rose Tyler, of London, Marishca Malkavain of Transylvania,■ ⌠Transsexual Transylvania,■ Marishca half sang under her breath ⌠Onde, of Anochecer, Tod also of Anochecer and Lilith, spirit from Gotisk residing in the body of Joanna, of London.■ ⌠Shut it you twit.■ ⌠You are all found guilty.■ ⌠There is a surprise,■ Rose muttered sarcastically under her breath ⌠Penalty: death.■ The doors opened once more, and it was with relief that Rose saw Styr Malkavain enter the room.  
⌠You will set them free.■ ⌠Why on Barbados would I do that.■ ⌠Because, I, Styr Malkavain, demand it. That is my daughter. They are her friends. You will set them free. Or I will make you.■ ⌠Oh, you and what army?■ at this the Zafarax army raised what can only be described as guns, with sort of lasers and all sorts of horrible things attached.  
⌠Unfortunately, not my own army. But Zacch▓s army will do nicely.■ Another figure entered the room. It was, at first glance, a very large dog, standing on its hind legs. On second glance it was a absolutely huge dog standing on its hind legs. Only on a third or fourth glance could you see the lions eyes and the teeth of a bat. When Zaach spoke it was like a hoarse whisper, which nevertheless carried all the power as if he were shouting.  
⌠Set them free, or you are your army will never live to see another day. Set them free and about half of you will. The rest will die for taking them in the first place, you filthy, dirty, mongrels.■ ⌠You, sir, are the half-breed here.■ ⌠I▓m not just half-breed mate. I got powers you cant dare to imagine. Am I taking it that you will not release the prisoners?■ ⌠we will not.■ ⌠Then you leave me no choice.■ He turned over his shoulder and suddenly cried, in a voice which shook the hall ⌠ MEN!!■ and all at once a thousand dog/lion/bat/ men stormed into the room, ripping apart every Zarfarax they could lay their hands/claws/paws on. Zaach himself launched himself and the Leader. He was repelled back by the Leader▓s gun. He collapsed onto the floor, whimpering. His army stopped for a nanosecond to look at their leader, which was all the time the Zarfarax needed. Seemingly simultaneously they shot at the dog/lion/bat/men/whatever who also fell to the floor, howling. Styr remained on his feet, staring unnervingly into the Leader▓s face.  
⌠You are below them in every way.■ he said. Even Lilith was shocked to find his voice so calm, so neutral, as though the fleeting battle between the Leaders army and Zaach▓s had never happened. ⌠Styr Malkavain, found guilty of breaking the allegiance between the Vampires and causing the death of two of my men. Penalty: Death.■ When two of the Zarfarax came to chained Styr up, he fought, but they chained him, and he could not morph so he could not flee. The Leader started a very long and very boring speech that he liked to save for occasions that he enjoys (i.e. deaths). It went on for two hours. When he had finally finished rambling on about nothing for no reason (as villains often do) he added ⌠Now, your death penalty will be carried out.■ As soon as he said ⌠out■ a wind swept through the building, and a gun was pressed to his neck. ⌠Again, you may want to reconsider that,■ ⌠I doubt it.■ and in one fluid motion the Leader spun round and knocked ArantХle to the floor, her gun now in his hand.■ ⌠Who are you to question my authority?■ he laughed ⌠Do you really want me to answer that question?■ she said, peering at the Leader through one dark brown eye. Which was when the Doctor realised, her gash had gone, nothing but a slight bump on her cheek to show it was there at all. ⌠Ok then, little girly, answer my question.■ ArantХle got to her feet and wrapping the velvet cloak around her tightly, was sitting in the middle of the air (is there a middle? Oh well, roughly.  
⌠My name is ArantХle Malkavain. I was born 57 years ago, but I was not born to Styr Malkavain and Clarissa, his honoured wife. I was given to them by my true parents, so I could take my place in this world.■ ⌠So who are your true parents then, little girly?■ said the Leader almost tauntingly, as though daring her to answer. If it was a dare, she accepted.  
⌠My father was Dolos, God of Trickery and Cunning, and my mother was Athene, Goddess of Wisdom and War. Dolos was the one to give me my abilities, Athene, my wisdom. Dolos made me a vampire, made me who I am. Question my authority now, Leader!■ she laughed manically, her eyes glowed red, and she landed back next to him, a spare gun at the nape of his neck.

Jack couldn▓t help himself. He laughed and said to the Leader ⌠You▓re bloody done for now!■ ⌠I was right. You and the Doctor, Gods and hunters, Margot, the betrayer, Rose, the Traveller and Jack the Lover. It was all right.■ ArantХle smiled. But it wasn▓t a smile of happiness, it was more mocking. ⌠But you got it slightly wrong, Lilith. The Gods, where Dolos and Athene, who came to me this evening. The Traveller was Rose. The Lover was Jack. But you missed one stone in your haste, Lilith. And that was the Betrayed.■ she looked at the Doctor. ⌠Margot Cheal was never the betrayer. She is more on your side than against it. She is dead. I killed her. The reason we are at war is simple. She is the daughter of Zaach and a Harpy. Upon Zaach▓s orders I killed her mother and sister. She never forgave me or Zaach. In return she killed my son. My only child Nebo. I avenged him tonight. I am afraid, people, that I am the Betrayer.■ and she turned her gun and aimed it at Marishca▓s forehead.

A/n ok i leave this at a bit of a cliffie but if ur nice and reveiw i MAY do a sequel. OK thts a lie, im doing a sequel no matta what, look out it should be called Black Widow and i hope 2 gt the first chappy up by september 


End file.
